STORIES 


FROM 


INDIAN  WIGWAMS  AND 


NORTHERN  -,  CAMP-FIRES 


BY 

EGERTON  RYERSON  YOUNG 

|i 

Author  of  By  Canoe  and  Dog-Train^  Oowikapun^  etc.,  etc. 


41  The  flowers  will  spring  up  in  the  hunter's  trail,  and  the  birds  will  sing  in  the  branches, 
but  Pushmataha  will  hear  them  not,  neither  will  he  see  the  flowers  any  more.  He  will 
be  gone  ;  his  spirit  will  have  fled.  Then  when  he  returns  not  his  people  will  know  that 
he  is  not  among  the  living.  The  news  will  come  to  their  ears  as  the  sound  of  the  fall  of 
the  mighty  oak  in  the  stillness  of  the  forest."— Indian's  Oration  (see  Chap.  XVII). 


NEW  YORK:   HUNT  &  EATON 
CINCINNATI:  CRANSTON  &  CURTS 
LONDON:  CHARLES  KELLY 
TORONTO:  WM.  BRIGGS 
1803 


t-77 

yy 


NEW  YOKK. 


Electrotyped,  printed,  and  bound  by 

HUNT    &    EATON, 
150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 
Night  Visions  and  Heart  Musings  in  the  "Wild  North  Land Page     11 

CHAPTER  I. 

Tne  Indians — Contradictory  notions  formed  of  them — Physical  appearance 
—Power  to  endure — High  ideas  of  honor — Social  life — Self-control 
under  all  circumstances — Atahulpa — Maxims — Decorum  in  their  coun 
cils — Methods  of  war — Only  volunteers — How  a  captain  enlisted  fol 
lowers  for  a  battle — No  public  commissariat — P]very  man  for  himself 
— Open  warfare  and  pitched  battles  almost  unknown — The  secret 
attack  and  ambush  preferred — Eagle  feathers  the  badge  of  success- 
Scalping  confined  to  Indians — Romantic  story  of  its  origin 17 

CHAPTER  II. 

On  the  way  to  our  mission-field — Fort  Garry — Lake  Winnipeg — Primitive 
cooking — Pemmican — The  tumble  in  the  lake — Cordial  welcome — No 
locks  or  keys — Visitors  at  all  hours — The  startled  bedroom  caller— 
Teaching  by  example  as  well  as  precept — Love  of  the  Indians  for  our 
children — Beautiful  Indian  names  given  them 25 

CHAPTER  III. 

Happy  routine  duties — Surrender  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  charter — 
An  increase  of  our  responsibilities — Reverence  for  the  Sabbath,  and  love 
for  and  good  attendance  in  the  house  of  God — Papooses  hung  on  the 
walls — Story  of  the  missionary  sermon  on  Sabbath  observance  and 
•what  resulted — The  shattered  hand — The  wounded  man's  testimony — 
His  conversion  and  death — The  brave  Sabbath-keeping  guide — The 
sinking  of  the  ship — Indians  deeply  impressed — Another  argument  for 
the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath — The  brigade  of  boats — The  inland  fur- 
trade — Portaging — Marvelous  strength  and  endurance  of  the  trip- 
men — Dr.  Taylor's  testimony — The  practical  testing  of  the  question 
between  the  Sabbath-keeping  and  non-Sabbath-keeping  brigades — The 
camp-fire  story — The  Sabbath  vindicated 38 


4  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  half-breeds  of  Manitoba — Scotcli  half-breeds — Lord  Selkirk — Rev. 
Mr.  Black — Donald  Bannerman — "Only  pemmican" — Early  stormy 
times — The  Indian  raid — Singular  stratagem — Caught  in  the  log— 
Rapid  progress  of  this  thrifty  people — French  half-breeds — Riel  rebell 
ion — Ancestry — Characteristics — Poor  farmers — Splendid  hunters- 
Long  discontented — Red  River  carts — The  great  buffalo  hunt — Annihi 
lation  of  the  buffalo — Wondrous  changes  wrought  by  civilization — Dr. 
Sutherland's  eloquent  words — Canada's  great  future Page  51 

CHAPTER  Y. 

The  Indian's  greatest  curse  the  white  man's  fire-water — Terrible  results 
which  have  followed  from  its  introduction  among  them — Pathetio  pro 
tests  of  the  Indians  against  it — An  eloquent  but  fruitless  address — Sad 
scenes  witnessed — Cunning  tricks  of  whisky-traders  to  bring  in  the 
liquor  among  the  Indians — Queer  methods  of  "treating  " — Disappointing 
visit  to  an  Indian  trading-post — Indians  all  drunk  on  the  white  man'a 
rum — Our  lives  in  jeopardy — Sigenook's  will-power — Prohibition  now 
the  law  in  many  parts  of  the  country 70 

CHAPTER  YI. 

The  religion  of  the  Indians — Their  religious  instincts  strongly  developed— 
Similarity  of  beliefs  among  all  the  tribes — A  good  and  a  bad  spirit— 
Multitudes  of  inferior  gods — Marvelous  similarity  between  many  In 
dian  and  ancient  Jewish  customs — Belief  in  and  fear  of  Windagoos  or 
man-eaters — Story  of  a  missionary  speech — Reference  to  cannibals 
brings  up  the  dread  of  Windagoos — People  all  flee  to  an  island — Brought 
back  by  the  missionary 80 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  search  for  the  Bible — Truth  stranger  than  fiction — The  visit  of  the 
Flathead  Indians — Their  request  for  the  book  denied — Popery  still 
refuses  the  Bible  to  the  people — Pathetic  speech  of  an  Indian — The 
tribe  disheartened  and  soured — Story  of  Maskepetoon — The  warrior 
chief  interested  by  hearing  the  story  of  Christ's  forgiving  love — His 
only  son  murdered — Murderer  forgiven — Maskepetoon  a  Christian — 
His  useful  life — His  tragic  death — Story  of  the  old  conjurer — The 
missionary's  visit — Strange  dinner  and  its  results — Poisons  destroyed 
— The  conjurer  converted — His  love  for  the  word 88 


CONTENTS.  .  5 

CHAPTER  YIIL 

Visit  of  a  deputation  of  strange  Indians  looking  for  a  missionary — Able  to 
read  the  good  book— Taught  by  our  Christian  hunters — Obtained 
Bibles — Then  taught  their  own  people — Longing  for  instruction— Story 
of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  here  repeated — Visit  them — Hungry  for  the 
truth Page  104 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Missionary  encouragements — Beautiful  incidents  of  the  Gospel's  power — 
Sick  Indian  brought  twenty-five  miles  to  see  the  missionary — Convicted 
Indian's  prayer,  "  Here,  Lord,  I  can  do  no  more ;  please  take  poor 
Indian  too  " — Story  of  Joe — The  hot  Sunday — Simple  service — Joe's 
doubts — Accepts  Christ— The  small-pox — Sorrows  and  bereavements 
in  the  missionary's  home — None  to  help  or  sympathize  with  them — 
Providential  deliverance  from  savage  Blackfeet  Indians — Joe  dying 
of  small-pox — His  message — His  death 114 

CHAPTER  X. 

President  Cleveland  wanted  more  dog  stories— Mrs.  Cleveland's  kind  words 
for  the  missionary's  wife— My  dogs— Essential  for  traveling  in  the 
North-land — Esquimaux — A  trial  of  patience — Biting  a  dog's  ear — A 
stubborn  dog's  end — The  meat-pot  or  soap-kettle — The  ecclesiastic's 
expedient  to  get  on — The  method  of  breaking  in  young  dogs— Jack's 
help — Cunning  old  Caesar — My  own  train — Yoyageur  the  matchless 
leader — How  I  unfortunately  broke  his  heart — Jack  the  noblest  of 
them  all 125 

CHAPTER  XL 

More  Indian  deputations — Caught  in  a  blizzard  storm  on  Lake  Winnipeg — 
Alone  and  bewildered  in  the  gale — Expedient  to  keep  from  being  lost 
— Welcome  war-whoop — Faithful  Indians — A  noisy  reception — Cere 
monious  council — Religious  services — Treaty  discussions — The  inside 
view  of  paganism — Woman's  sad  and  humiliating  condition — My  breach 
of  etiquette  in  kindly  preaching  to  them— Contrast  between  woman's 
condition  in  pagan  and  Christian  villages — Invalid  mother  carried  to 
church 138 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Out  in  the  bitter  cold — The  missionary's  camp-fire  story  of  his  bitterest 
experience  from  the  extreme  cold — Trying  to  mend  the  broken  harness 


6  CONTEXTS. 

— Hands  freezing — Seraphic  music — Gorgeous  colors — Snowslioe  tracks 
transformed  into  luxurious  couches — The  warning  voice — The  rough 
trip — Returning  vitality — The  narrow  escape  from  freezing  to  death 
— Similar  experiences  of  arctic  explorers  and  other  northern  travelers 
who  have  been  nearly  frozen  to  death — A  necessary  buffeting. .  Page  150 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Camp-fire  stories — Baptiste's  story  of  the  battle  between  two  buffalo  bulls 
and  a  grizzly  bear — Sammo's  story  of  being  chased  by  a  grizzly  bear 
that  robbed  him  of  his  antelope  meat — Sandy  Bar — The  story  of  the 
plum-pudding  and  the  happy  Indians 158 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Exploring  new  fields — Dangers  in  the  way — Dog-traveling  by  night — Break 
ing  through  the  ice — Sagacious  dogs — Scant  supplies  and  hungry  Indians 
— Indian  hospitalities — A  successful  bear-hunter — Primitive  methods  of 
eating — A  dinner  under  peculiar  circumstances — Attentive  hearers  of 
the  word — Ice-rafts — The  successful  wild-cat  hunter — Preaching  the 
word  as  we  journey  on — Sleeping  twenty-three  strong  in  a  small  wig 
wam — A  troublesome  dog — Hitting  Oojibetoos  by  mistake — An  almost 
tragedy  turned  into  a  comedy — "  All's  well  that  ends  well " 170 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Courtship  and  marriage — Rapid  changes — Different  tribal  customs — Fluctu 
ating  prices  paid  for  wives — Marriage  of  old  Ja-koos — Wedding-feast 
— Nervous  attempts  at  civilized  courtship — Seeking  assistance — Young 
maidens  anticipating  leap-year  privileges — Barkis-like,  she  was  "quite 
willing  " 184 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

Indian  wit  and  humor — The  dish  of  horse-radish — General  Custer's  story  of 
the  chief  who  surrendered  because  a  whole  mule  was  fired  at  him — 
Quaint  stories  of  John  Sunday— His  fable  of  the  black-snake  and  the 
frog — How  John  silenced  the  Mormon  preacher — How  near  he  came 
to  getting  a  D.D. — His  quaint  missionary  appeal  to  Mr.  Gold — Old 
Thickfoot — The  stolid,  humorous  chiefs  idea  of  sin — An  Indian's 
shrewdness  in  carrying  cider  in  a  basket — A  sensible  reply  to  a  chal 
lenge  to  fight  a  duel — The  Indian  magistrate  who  fined  both  plaintiff 
and  defendant — A  queer  verdict — "  Mun-afraid-of-nothing  " 192 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Indian  oratory — The  gift  highly  prized  and  cultivated — Admired  by  emi 
nent  writers — Charlevoix's  opinion — Dr.  Punshon's  testimony  to  Salas- 
salton — Specimens  gathered  from  various  sources — Logan's  speech — 
Tecumseh's  character  and  addresses — His  haughty  reply  to  General 
Harrison — Orations  at  peace  councils — Highest  style  of  oratory  among 
them — Pathetic  words  of  Push-ma-ta-ha — Simmo's  beautiful  address— 
A  chiefs  speech  at  the  ceremony  of  the  burial  of  the  tomahawk — 
Weatherford's  eloquent  and  brave  address  to  General  Jackson — The 
annihilation  of  such  a  people  to  be  regretted Page  205 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

The  medicine-men,  or  conjurers — Description — Among  all  the  tribes — Power 
they  exercise — Knowledge  of  some  medicines — Rely  principally  on  their 
imaginary  supernatural  power  to  retain  their  influence — Shrewd  ob 
servers  of  nature — Rain-makers — Charms — Good  medicine — General 
Custer — Test  of  skill  between  rival  medicine-men — Jesuit  priest — 
Mountain  sheep  killed  by  the  conjurer's  word — Wild  goose  killed  by 
magic — Conjurers  blackmailers — Power  of  superstitions — Frightened 
to  deatli — Successful  conjurer  at  Norway  House — Failure  of  a  boast 
ful  medicine-man — Not  invulnerable  against  fire  or  bullets — The  red- 
hot  poker  too  much  for  him — Some  of  them  converted — "  Call  me 
Daniel  " .^ 219 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

The  Hudson  Bay  Company — Enormous  extent  of  its  operations — Vastness 
of  the  country — From  ocean  to  ocean — World  long  kept  in  ignorance 
of  the  possibilities  of  the  Canadian  North-west — Marvelous  changes — 
Canadian  Pacific  Railroad — Coming  greatness  of  Canada — Bryant — Hud 
son  Bay  traders — Trading- posts — Methods  of  barter — Story  of  the  In 
dian  and  his  lost  money — Beaver-skin  standard — Mails  but  once  or 
twice  a  year — A  daily  paper — John  and  his  master — The  pea-soup — 
Securing  the  company's  good-will — Visits  to  the  lonely  posts — Grateful 
whites  as  well  as  Indians — "All  things  to  all  men  that  we  might  win 
some" 230 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  fur-bearing  animals  of  the  Hudson  Bay  territory — Clever  fur-hunters — 
Fox  easily  shot — Industrious  beavers — Their  dams — Houses  built — The 
old  sentinel — Young  beavers  at  work  also — Fur-hunting  dangerous 
work — Poor  remuneration  to  the  Indian . .  .  242 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Black  bears — Easily  tamed — Bears  fishing — A  tame  bear  rocking  a  baby's 
hammock — An  adventure  with  one — Shooting  it  in  the  river — Mar 
velous  cleverness  of  the  Indians — Dinner  of  bear's  ribs — Supper  of  bear's 
paws — Story  of  Mis-mis  the  old  Indian — Condemned  to  die — Aided  by 
the  boys,  captured  a  grizzly  bear — Because  of  his  bravery  the  sentence 
of  his  death  was  revoked — Lived  to  become  a  Christian Page  251 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

The  moose-deer — Valuable  to  the  Indians — Methods  of  capture — Big  Tom's 
camp-fire  story — His  method  of  hunting  them — The  reindeer — Migra 
tory  habits — Fond  of  swimming — Easily  killed  in  the  lakes — Women 
hunters — A  tragic  story — Three  lives  lost  by  the  reindeer  smashing 
the  canoe — Wanted,  a  Christian  wife — Successful  in  the  undertaking — A 
short  courtship,  with  happy  results 263 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

The  model  missionary  superintendent,  Rev.  George  Young,  D.D. — Begin- 
ningthe  work  in  Manitoba  under  hardships  and  difficulties — His  genuine 
sympathy  with  the  isolated  missionaries — His  twelve-hundred-mile  trip 
by  dog-train — Narrow  escape  from  a  crack  in  the  ice — Varied  traveling 
experiences — The  camp  in  the  snow — The  missions  visited — Norway 
House — Oxford  House — Missionary  discomforts — Nelson  River  mission 
— Rev.  J.  Semmens — Beren's  River  mission — Difficulties  that  have  to  be 
overcome  in  Christianizing  the  Indians — Dr.  Young's  return  home — 
Long  sickness  as  the  result  of  the  hardships  of  the  journey — Closing 
words — Quotation  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Puushon 278 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

How  I  MISSED  MY  FIRST  BEAR.    (SEE  PAGE  256.) FRONTISPIECE 

TAKING  ox  BOARD  ANOTHER  PASSENGER FACING    26 

HE  SUDDENLY  DUCKED  DOWN,  AND  I  WENT  OVER  HIS  HEAD  INTO  THE 

LAKE 30 

WITH  HEAVY  SATCHEL,  CARRYING  FOOD  AND  MEDICINE,  DID  I  GO  FROM 

WIGWAM  TO  WIGWAM FACING    32 

MlNNEHAHA  AND  SAGASTAOOKEMOU FACING    36 

DRAGGING  BOATS  OVERLAND  THROUGH  THE  ROUGH  PORTAGES.  .FACING    45 

A  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  GLACIER.     (SEE  PAGE  67.) FACING    51 

"  Six  SIMULTANEOUS  TELLS  .  .  .  TOLD  OF  THE  SUCCESS  OF  HIS  LITTLE 

SCHEME" FACING    58 

THE  OLD  RED  RIVER  CART 63 

"  DRESSED  IN  THEIR  PICTURESQUE  GARMENTS  AND  HOLDING  BACK  UN 
TIL  THE  WORD  TO  ADVANCE  is  GIVEN  " FACING    65 

"WITH  THEIR  GLORIOUS  BACKGROUND  OF  MOUNTAINS" FACING    67 

"  THE  BROAD  RANGES  OF  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS  " FACING    88 

"MAGNIFICENT  is  SOME  OF  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  SCENERY".  .FACING    95 

A  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRE FACING  125 

THE  DOG-TRAIN  OF  THE  WIFE  OF  THE  MISSIONARY FACING  126 

PUNISHING  A  STUBBORN  DOG 127 

JACK  AND  ALEC FACING  134 

FAITHFUL  JACK FACING  136 

AN  APPROACHING  BLIZZARD  STORM FACING  141 

LOST  IN  A  BLIZZARD  STORM FACING  142 

AN  INDIAN  WOMAN  IN  NATIVE  DRESS FACING  144 

OUT  IN  THE  BITTER  COLD FACING  1 50 

THE  BULLS  LOWERED  THEIR  HEADS  AND  CHARGED  UPON  THE  BEAR.. FACING  160 


1 0  ILL  US  TEA  TIONS. 

PAGE 

"  WITH  A  JUMP  I  WAS  OFF  " 164 

'•  I  AM  MAKING  A  PLUM-PUDDING  " J  67 

IN  THE  INDIAN  COUNTRY FACING  1 92 

BANFF  SPRING  HOTEL,  CANADIAN  NATIONAL  PARK FACING  230 

INDIAN  FAMILY  ON  THE  MOVE FACING  231 

"  ROMANTIC  MOUNTAIN  REGIONS  " FACING  232 

ESTIMATING  THE  VALUE  OF  FURS 235 

TROUT  SPRINGING  UP  THE  RAPIDS FACING  239 

SNOWSHED   IN   THE   ROCKY   MOUNTAINS   ON   THE   CANADIAN  PACIFIC 

RAILWAY FACING  242 

SHOOTING  THE  Fox 244 

BEAVERS  AT  WORK FACING  247 

A  NOVEL  NURSE FACING  253 

Mis  Mis  AND  OLD  GRIZZLY FACING  260 

A  FLEET  TROTTER 265 

BIG  TOM  KILLING  THE  MOOSE FACING  270 

WOMEN  SPEARING  REINDEER  IN  THE  WATER FACING  272 

THE  BROKEN  CANOE 274 

REV.  GEORGE  YOUNG,  D.D FACING  278 

"IN  MY  TRUSTY  SUIT  OF  MOOSE-SKIN " FACING  281 

REV.  JOHN  SEMMENS  AND  HIS  SPLENDID  DOG-TRAIN FACING  290 


INTRODUCTION. 


NIGHT  VISIONS  AND  HEART  MUSINGS  IN  THE  WILD  NORTH  LAND. 

GO  short  are  the  wintry  days  in  those  "high  latitudes" 
^  where  for  years  we  toiled  that  on  our  long  trips  with 
our  dogs  and  Indians  we  were  obliged  to  rouse  ourselves  up 
from  our  snowy  beds  in  the  cold  and  dreary  forests,  hours 
before  day.  Aided  by  the  light  of  our  camp-fire  we  cooked 
our  morning  meal,  packed  up  our  robes  and  blankets,  and 
tied  them,  with  our  provisions  and  kettles,  on  our  dog-sleds. 
Before  starting  we  sang,  in  the  Cree  Indian  language,  one 
of  the  sweet  songs  of  Zion,  and  then,  bowing  at  the  rnercy- 
seat,  with  grateful  hearts  we  offered  up  our  prayers  to  the 
loving  Protector  who  had  watched  over  and  shielded  us  from 
all  harm,  although  our  lodging-place  was  in  the  "  forest 
primeval "  and  our  bed  was  in  the  snow,  with  the  tempera 
ture  from  forty  to  sixty  degrees  below  zero.  Our  last  camp 
duty  was  the  capturing  and  harnessing  of  our  dogs,  which 
was  an  easy  or  difficult  task  according  to  their  nature  and 
training. 

As  much  snow  had  recently  fallen  we  all  tied  on  our 
snow-shoes;  then,  starting  our  dogs,  we  wended  our  way  out 
from  the  light  of  the  camp-fire  and  through  the  weird 
shadows  of  the  fir  and  birch  and  juniper  trees  to  the  vast 
expanse  of  Lake  Winnipeg,  across  which  our  journey  lay. 
The  stars  shone  down  upon  us  with  a  clearness  and  brill 
iancy  unknown  in  lands  of  mists  and  fogs.  At  times  me 
teors  blazed  along  the  star-decked  vault  of  heaven,  leaving 
behind  them  for  a  few  seconds  lines  of  silvery  light  that 
soon  faded  away.  The  Northern  Lights  flashed,  danced,  and 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

scintillated  with  a  glory  and  magnificence  that  paled  into 
insignificance  man's  most  wonderful  pyrotechnic  displays. 
Frequently  a  clear  and  distinct  corona  would  be  formed  at 
the  zenith,  from  which  would  shoot  out  long  columns  of 
various-colored  lights,  which  seemed  to  rest  down  upon  the 
snowy  waste  around  us  or  on  the  far-off  distant  shores. 
Often  have  I  seen  a  cloud  of  light  flit  swiftly  across  these 
ever-changing  bars  with  a  resemblance  so  natural  to  that  of 
a  hand  across  the  strings  of  a  harp  that  I  have  suddenly 
stopped  and  listened  for  that  rustling  sound  which  some 
arctic  travelers  have  affirmed  they  have  heard  from  these 
auroral  displays;  but  although  I  have  often  watched  and 
listened  amid  the  death-like  stillness  of  this  dreary  land  no 
sound  have  I  ever  heard.  Amid  all  their  flashing,  changing 
glories  they  seemed  as  voiceless  as  the  stars  above  them. 
The  morning  crescent-shaped  moon,  the  silvery  queen  of 
night,  helped  to  light  up  our  way  as  through  the  long,  dreary 
hours  we  journeyed  on.  •  If  the  cold  had  been  less  terrible 
nothing  could  have  been  more  delightful  than  contemplating 
these  glorious  sights  in  the  heavens.  As  it  was,  the  words  of 
the  psalmist,  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  firmament  showeth  his  handiwork,"  and  Job's  magnificent 
description  of  that  God  "  who  is  wise  in  heart  and  mighty  in 
strength,  which  alone  spreadeth  out  the  heavens,  which  mak- 
eth  Arcturus,  Orion,  and  Pleiades,  and  the  chambers  of  the 
south,"  rang  in  our  ears,  and  we  were  thankful  that  the  Creator 
of  all  these  things  was  mindful  of  us.  Still,  after  all,  on  ac 
count  of  the  bitterness  of  the  morning,  it  being,  as  we  after 
ward  found,  in  the  neighborhood  of  fifty  degrees  below  zero, 
there  was  a  disposition  to  lose  our  love  of  the  sentimental, 
and  in  almost  bitter  anguish  to  cry  out  to  these  lights  in  the 
heavens,  "  Miserable  comforters  are  ye  all !  Can  none  of  you 
give  us  any  warmth  ?  " 

But  while  we  journey  on  a  dim,  faint  line  of  light  is 
seen  in  the  eastern  horizon.  At  first  it  is  scarcely  visible. 
The  brilliant  meteors  seem  to  say,  "How  much  more  ex- 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

alted  and  beautiful  are  we  than  that  dim,  faint  line  down 
there  so  low!"  The  Northern  Lights  appear  to  cry  out  in 
derision,  "  Who  for  a  moment  would  compare  us  in  all  our 
ever-changing,  flashing  splendor  with  that  insignificant  and 
modest  beam  ?  "  The  silvery  moon,  the  queen  of  night,  seems 
to  consider  that  eastern  light  as  an  intruder  as  she  gazes  upon 
it  with  saucy  stare.  But  that  eastern  light  heeds  them  not. 
As  we  watch  we  see  that  it  is  rapidly  increasing.  The  white 
line,  extending  round  to  the  north  and  south,  has  risen,  and 
underneath  is  one  of  crimson  and  purple.  A  flashing  ray 
shoots  up,  and  then  the  glorious  sun  bounds  up  from  his 
snowy  bed,  "  rejoicing  as  a  strongman  to  run  a  race."  Felix, 
my  Indian  guide,  who  ran  ahead,  shouted  out,  "  Sagastao  ! 
Sagastao  !  "  ("The  sun  rises!  The  sun  rises!  ") 

The  poor  shivering  missionary  coming  next,  toiling  along 
on  snow-shoes,  behind  his  dog-train,  takes  up  the  joyful 
sound,  which  is  caught  up  and  loudly  shouted  by  William, 
my  other  Indian  attendant,  who  at  this  glad  sight  casts  off 
his  usual  stoicism  and  is  as  noisy  in  his  words  of  welcome 
to  the  sovereign  king  of  day  as  the  rest  of  us.  We  turn 
our  ice-covered,  frost-bitten  faces  to  the  sun,  and  as  its  bright 
beams  fall  upon  us  like  loving  kisses  we  rejoice  that  the 
light  and  brightness  of  another  day  has  come,  for  "  truly 
the  light  is  sweet;  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to 
behold  the  sun."  But  look  around  the  heavens  and  behold 
the  marvelous  change  his  coming  has  effected.  Every  lesser 
light  has  gone,  every  competitor  has  left  the  field.  The  race 
is  all  his  own.  At  first  his  bright  rays  gild  the  distant  hill 
tops,  then  they  light  up  the  fir-clad  rocky  isles,  wrhich,  when 
burnished  by  his  golden  beams,  bear  some  fanciful  resemblance 
to  old  ruined  temples  or  vast  cathedrals.  And  while  we  gaze 
upon  them,  wondering,  If  God's  footstool  can  be  made  to  look 
so  glorious  what  will  the  throne  be?  the  sun  has  risen  higher, 
every  shadow  of  night  has  disappeared,  and  we  are  deluged 
in  his  glory. 

I  would  have  been  a -poor  lover  of  the  world's  evangeliza- 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

tion,  and  emphatically  a  poor  missionary,  if  I  could  have 
gazed  upon  these  marvelous  transformations  in  the  heavens 
and  thought  on  the  lessons  they  taught  me  unmoved.  My 
heart  grew  hot  within  me,  and  while  I  mused  the  fire  burned; 
then  spake  I  with  my  tongue. 

Meet  emblem  of  a  world  shrouded  in  the  chill  and  gloom 
of  paganism  seems  Lake  Winnipeg  on  this  cold  wintry  morn 
ing.  Ko  sign  of  life  is  here.  The  ice  and  snow,  like  a  great 
mantle,  seem  to  have  wrapped  themselves  round  every  thing 
that  once  had  life. 

The  flashing  meteors  reminded  me  of  the  efforts  of  the  old 
philosophers  to  reform  and  illuminate  the  world.  There  was 
a  transient  beauty  in  some  of  their  theories,  but  the  darkness 
to  be  dispelled  was  too  dense,  and  so  their  lights,  meteor- 
like,  went  out  almost  as  soon  as  kindled.  The  fickle,  ever- 
changing  Northern  Lights  made  me  think  of  some  of  the 
various  systems  of  false  religions,  or  perversions  of  the 
true,  which  man  has  invented  to  dazzle  the  unwary  or  to 
lead  the  fickle  astray.  Whether  it  be  Mormonism,  or  Spir 
itualism,  or  a  mere  sensuous  Ritualism,  changeable  and 
inconstant  are  they  as  the  auroras.  Their  revelations, 
their  spiritual  communications,  rapped  or  written,  their  gor 
geous  vestments  and  illuminated  altars  are  no  more  able  to 
dispel  the  darkness  and  irradiate  the  world  lost  in  sin  and 
error's  night  than  the  auroras  are  to  warm  and  comfort 
the  poor  shivering  missionary  and  his  Indian  attendants,  toil 
ing  through  the  wintry  cold  and  longing  for  the  morning. 
The  crescent-shaped  moon  reminded  me  of  that  vast  system  of 
error  which  for  twelve  centuries  has  waved  its  crescent  flag  over 
some  of  the  fairest  portions  of  God's  heritages.  Humiliating 
is  the  thought  that  even  in  the  land  once  pressed  by  the  dear 
Redeemer's  feet  the  baneful  cry  is  still  heard  that,  although 
"  God  is  great,  Mohammed  is  his  prophet."  But  the  crescent 
must  go  down  before  the  Sun  of  righteousness.  As  the  moon  is 
the  last  of  the  lights  of  night  to  fade  before  the  sun,  so  Mo 
hammedanism,  although  such  a  stubborn  foe,  must  eventually 


INTR  0  D  UCTION.  1 5 

•succumb.  Once  lier  crescent-bannered  armies  made  all 
Christendom  tremble;  now  the  mutual  forbearance,  or  rather 
mutual  jealousies,  of  Christian  nations  keep  the  only  great 
Mohammedan  nation  from  falling  to  pieces. 

Soon,  very  soon,  perhaps  before  we  expect  and  before  we 
are  ready  to  enter  in,  the  crescent  will  go  down  before  the 
cross,  and  then  many  more  of  the  dark  places  full  of  the  habi 
tations  of  cruelty  shall  open  for  the  blessed  light  of  the  sun. 
Haste,  happy  day,  day  so  much  desired  and  so  often  prayed 
for,  and  for  which  we  toil,  when  the  Sun  of  righteousness 
shall  shine  upon  every  portion  of  the  world  polluted  and 
^darkened  by  sin,  but  bought  with  the  Redeemer's  blood! 

"  And  shall  not  I,  at  God  and  duty's  call, 

Fly  to  the  utmost  limits  of  the  ball, 

Cross  the  wide  sea,  along  the  desert  toil, 

Or  circumnavigate  each  Indian  isle? 

To  torrid  regions  run  to  save  the  lost, 

Or  brave  the  rigors  of  eternal  frost? 

I  may  like  Brainard  perish  in  my  bloom, 

A  group  of  Indians  weeping  round  my  tomb; 

I  may  like  Martyn  lay  my  burning  head 

In  some  lone  Persian  hut  or  Turkish  shed; 

I  may  like  Coke  be  buried  in  the  wave ; 

I  may  like  Howard  find  a  Tartar  grave ; 

Or  like  a  Xavier  perish  on  the  beach, 

In  some  lone  cottage  out  of  friendship's  reach  ; 

Or  like  McDougall  in  a  snow-drift  die, 

With  angels  only  near  to  hear  the  dying  sigh. 

I  may — but  never  let  my  soul  repine : 

'  Lo,  I'm  with  you  alway !  '  Heaven's  in  that  line. 

Tropic  or  pole,  or  mild  or  burning  zone, 

Is  but  a  step  from  my  eternal  throne." 

2 


STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

AND 

NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.--      " 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  INDIANS CONTRADICTORY    NOTIONS    FORMED    OF   THEM 

PHYSICAL  APPEARANCE POWER  TO  ENDURE — HIGH  IDEAS 

OF       HONOR  SOCIAL       LIFE  SELF       CONTROL       UNDER 

ALL  CIRCUMSTANCES ATAHULPA MAXIMS DECORUM   IN 

THEIR     COUNCILS METHODS      OF       WAR ONLY      VOLUN 
TEERS HOW     A    CAPTAIN     ENLISTED     FOLLOWERS    FOR     A 

BATTLE NO  PUBLIC  COMMISSARIAT EVERY  MAN  FOR  HIM 
SELF OPEN   WARFARE     AND     PITCHED     BATTLES     ALMOST 

UNKNOWN — THE  SECRET  ATTACK  AND  AMBUSH  PREFERRED 

EAGLE     FEATHERS    THE  BADGE    OF     SUCCESS — SCALPING 

CONFINED    TO    INDIANS ROMANTIC   STORY  OF  ITS  ORIGIN. 

AROUND  none  of  the  subdivisions  of  the  great  human 
family  does  there  cluster  more  of  the  romantic  and 
picturesque  than  that  which  is  associated  with  the  North 
American  Indian.  Startling  indeed  to  the  Old  World's  in 
habitants  must  have  been  the  news  brought  back  by  the 
adventurous  voyagers,  toward  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century, 
that  across  the  great  and  wide  sea  there  were  found  new 
continents  inhabited  by  strange  people  with  many  striking 
characteristics  and  with  customs  altogether  different  from 
those  possessed  by  any  other  of  earth's  heterogeneous  races. 
Amidst  the  thirst  for  gold  and  greed  for  land  there  were 
those  who  endeavored  to  study  as  well  as  benefit  this  newly 
discovered  branch  of  the  great  Adamic  family  which  had  so 


18  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

long  been  lost  to  view.  The  research,  which  is  not  yet  ended, 
has  resulted  in  much  that  has  not  only  interested  the  curious 
and  added  greatly  to  the  knowledge  of  the  ethnological  and 
antiquarian  student,  but  has  also  opened  up  a  wide  field  for 
the  philanthropist  and  Christian  worker. 

And  yet  of  no  race  or  people  have  impressions  and  views 
more  different  been  formed  than  about  these  American  ab- 
.  oia4gin<es. ,  ,  B^  some  they  have  been  painted  in  the  darkest 
!  dplbrSj'.a's  tooStfefcsing  every  characteristic  of  fiends  without  a 
redeeming  feature;  and  if  these  chroniclers  could  have  their 
'  OW.R  ;way.  .tlie  sb'^Rger,  nations  would  long  ago  have  civilized 
tllein'b'ff  the1  fa'ce  oi  tlie  earth.  Others  have  written  in  strains 
•exactly  the  reverse  of  these.  To  judge  from  their  descrip 
tions  of  the  Indians  one  would  imagine  that  at  length  the 
Sand  of  Arcadian  simplicity  and  innocence  had  been  found, 
"where  the  inhabitants  without  a  vice  or  defect,  and  in 
possession  of  all  those  excellencies  which  make  up  the 
perfect  ideal  character,  had  been  discovered.  The  result 
from  the  reading  of  these  two  descriptions  so  diametrically 
opposite,  is  that  some  people  have  become  very  much  mixed 
and  unsettled  as  what  really  to  believe  about  the  true 
Indian. 

As  with  some  other  subjects  about  which  much  has  been 
written,  so  it  is  here,  the  truth  is  generally  to  be  found  some 
where  between  the  two  extremes.  Many  years'  experience 
with  and  intimate  study  of  the  red  man  in  his  own  haunts 
and  surrounded  by  his  natural  environments  have  only  deep 
ened  the  conviction  formed  long  ago  that  he  is  one  of  the 
sinning  race  of  Adam  suffering  from  the  fall,  not  much 
better  or  worse  than  others,  and  needing  as  well  as  others 
the  benefits  of  the  great  scheme  of  redeeming  love  to  gen 
uinely  lift  him  up  and  so  save  him  that  there  comes  real  and 
lasting  peace  in  his  own  heart  and  fitness  is  given  him  to 
take  his  place  among  the  other  subdivisions  of  the  great 
human  family. 

Physically  the  Indians  are  a  fine-looking  race.     The  men 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  19 

stand  erect,  and  have,  as  a  general  thing,  strong,  stalwart 
frames,  without  any  tendency  to  corpulency.  In  height  they 
will  average  up  with  any  known  race.  In  ability  to  endure 
hardness  the  American  Indian  is  perhaps  without  a  peer. 
He  has  a  stoicism  that  enables  him  to  control  his  feelings 

o 

under  the  most  fiery  ordeal,  and  a  haughty  pride  and  power 
of  self-control  that  so  sustains  him  that  he  can  even  taunt 
and  exult  over  his  enemies  who  are  subjecting  him  to  the 
fiercest  torture.  At  times  he  seems  fearless  of  all  danger 

O 

and  capable  of  any  heroic  deed,  and  yet  he  so  conducts  his 
methods  of  warfare  and  attack  that  he  appears  to  be  the 
most  cowardly  of  enemies.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  when 
the  tomahawk  is  buried  and  peace  declared  he  possesses 
high  notions  of  honor  and  a  sacred  respect  for  treaties  that 
nations  and  peoples  professing  to  be  vastly  above  him  in  the 
scale  of  civilization  might  with  great  advantage  copy.  In 
his  social  and  domestic  life  he  possesses  a  gravity  and  self- 
control  which  at  first  would  give  the  impression  that  there 
was  but  little  of  love  and  affection  for  even  his  own  family 
in  his  heart.  The  loving  words  of  affection  and  the  endear 
ing  caresses  so  prized  and  so  abounding  in  the  happy  homes 
of  other  lands  are  very  little  known  in  the  wigwam  of  the 
pagan  Indian.  Occasionally  a  bright  little  son  may  soften 
the  stolid  heart  of  the  warrior-father  and  win  from  him  some 
smiles  and  caresses,  but  this  is  the  exception  and  not  the  gen 
eral  rule.  To  perfectly  control  himself,  under  all  circum 
stances,  is  one  of  his  most  prominent  characteristics.  Priding 
himself  on  this  trait,  he  steels  his  muscles  to  resist  all  expres 
sions  of  emotion.  To  be  apparently  perfectly  indifferent  to 
whatever  occurs  is  the  goal  he  seeks.  Hence  he  allows 
neither  fear  nor  joy,  loss  nor  gain,  success  nor  disappointment, 
to  have  any  effect  upon  him.  With  the  most  stoical  indiffer 
ence  apparently,  he  looks  upon  the  most  marvelous  inventions 
and  the  most  ingenious  contrivances  without  the  least  expres 
sion  of  surprise.  To  permit  his  face  to  indicate  the  slightest 
expression  of  astonishment  would  be  considered  a  mark  of 


20  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

childishness  or  cowardice.  To  this  stern  discipline  of  the 
mind  and  nerves  the  whole  Indian  race  were  accustomed  to 
discipline  themselves.  In  the  cold  North  there  abounded 
these  characteristics,  and  in  the  sunny  South  the  heat  relaxed 
not  what  they  ever  considered  the  manly  requirements. 

When  Pizarro  invaded  Peru  the  native  ruler,  Atahulpa, 
ordered  the  immediate  execution  of  some  of  his  soldiers  be 
cause  they  exhibited  signs  of  surprise  or  emotion  at  the 
sight  of  the  Spaniard's  cavalry,  which  had  dashed  and  cur 
veted  before  them  for  the  first  time,  although  the  horse, 
then  but  recently  brought  into  America,  was  known  to  be 
an  object  of  special  fear  and  dread  to  the  Indian. 

This  perfect  mastery  over  their  emotions  influences  them 
in  various  ways.  They  are  cautious  and  deliberate  in  the 
use  of  words.  One  maxim  among  the  Indians  is  that  the 
man  of  the  fewest  words  in  a  dispute  is  the  innocent  one. 
Another  one  is  that  he  who  is  sparing  of  his  words  in  a  quar 
rel  is  discreet.  They  draw  a  very  great  distinction  between 
public  speaking  and  ordinary  talking.  The  orator,  who  on 
great  public  occasions  may  extend  his  address  for  hours, 
ordinarily  only  speaks  in  aphorism  or  in  sententious  utter 
ances.  This  was  especially  seen  in  their  councils  even  when 
there  were  great  divergencies  of  opinion  and  perhaps  re 
vengeful  feelings  in  the  hearts  of  many.  So,  while  there 
was  noticed  the  lack  of  those  demonstrations  of  affection 
so  prized  and  prominent  in  other  lands,  there  was  also 
observed  the  absence  of  all  wrangling  and  strife.  Noisy 
quarrelings  and  wordy  contentions  were  unknown  among 
the  chiefs  and  leaders  of  the  Indians.  While  at  times  in 
their  councils  there  were  in  the  hearts  of  some  of  the  mem 
bers  deadly  animosities  and  hates  which  might  eventually 
end  in  bloodshed  and  murder,  yet  such  was  the  self-control 
of  all  that  no  loud,  bitter,  contentious  words  were  heard,  such 
as  would  characterize  a  similar  gathering  of  some  of  the  more 
hot-blooded  races  of  the  world. 

Their  methods  of  war  differed  from  that  of  all  other  nations. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  21 

All  their  warriors  were  volunteers  for  that  one  special  cam 
paign.  The  leader  or  captain  who  would  raise  a  war-party 
must  first  of  all  have  some  reputation  as  a  successful  warrior 
to  start  on.  He  musters  the  warriors  to  the  war-dance  and 
there  he  appeals  to  the  assembled  ones  to  join  him  for  the 
contemplated  attack  he  has  planned  on  some  tribe  with  whom 
they  are  at  war. 

Deeply  superstitious  these  would-be  warriors  are,  and  he 
knows  that  he  must  be  thought  under  the  immediate  guid 
ance  of  the  Great  Spirit,  whose  aid  he  informs  them  he  has 
secured  by  some  mysterious  rites,  and  who  in  dreams  has 
assured  him  of  his  protection.  Various  are  his  schemes  to 
fire  their  enthusiasm  and  inflame  their  hearts.  Springing 
into  the  midst  of  the  circle,  he  seizes  the  vermilion-painted 
war-club  and  sings  his  exciting  war-song.  In  it  he  repeats 
over  and  over  again  the  story  of  his  heroic  deeds  accom 
plished  and  those  yet  to  be  performed.  His  actions  are  now 
of  the  most  frantic  character.  The  staid  decorum  of  ordi 
nary  days  is  laid  aside.  He  stamps  upon  the  ground  as  though 
then  and  there  he  could  make  the  earth  so  tremble  as  to  fill 
his  enemies  with  terror.  His  language  is  of  the  most  ex 
travagant  and  symbolical  character.  He  sings  of  his  having 
the  good-will  of  the  spirits  and  of  the  favorable  omens  that 
he  has  seen.  He  says  his  voice  fills  the  forests  and  reaches 
up  to  the  clouds  and  his  strong  arms  reach  to  the  horizon  on 
every  side. 

Frequently  does  he  stop  in  his  song  and  in  the  most  exciting 
manner  sound  the  piercing  war-whoop.  We  know  of  nothing 
more  calculated  to  fire  an  Indian's  soul  than  one  of  these 
exciting  war-dances.  The  strange  contortions,  the  intense 
muscular  energy,  and  the  weird  rhythmic  movements  are  in 
perfect  unison  with  the  wild  music  of  the  drum  and  rattle. 

Thus  in  poetic  language  and  in  startling  pantomime  this 
would-be  commander  of  these  red  warriors  pictures  to  their 
excited  imagination  the  enemy,  the  march,  the  ambush, 
the  attack,  and  the  victory.  In  unison  with  the  rude  music 


22  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

he  stamps  his  victim  under  his  feet  and  tears  off  the  bleed 
ing  scalp.  All  his  physical  as  well  as  mental  energies  are 
brought  into  play.  This  is  no  time  for  stately  oratory,  and 
so,  under  intense  excitement,  he  utters  in  short  sentences 
his  prowess,  his  anger,  his  defiance,  and  what  he  is  to  ac 
complish.  His  spirit  generally  becomes  contagious,  and 
warrior  after  warrior  rises  from  his  place  and  joins  the  war- 
dance.  This  act  constitutes  him  a  volunteer  for  the  con 
templated  attack,  and  no  warrior  who  thus  joins  the  circle 
can  honorably  withdraw.  No  other  enlistment  is  known 
among  them.  Each  volunteer  arms  and  equips  himself 
and  provides  his  own  subsistence.  There  are  no  paid 
warriors  among  them.  All  are  but  as  volunteers.  Even  the 
most  warlike  tribes  had  no  compulsory  military  service.  No 
man  was  compelled  to  serve,  and  even  if  a  warrior  became 
discouraged  and  faint-hearted  after  starting  on  the  war 
path  and  returned  home  he  suffered  no  punishment  for  his 
desertion  except  being  held  for  a  long  time  after  as  an 
object  of  ridicule.  Each  warrior  must  look  out  for  himself. 
Hence  they  have  no  public  debts,  and  to  these  facts  must  be 
attributed  the  unique  character  of  Indian  warfare.  Having 
no  arrangements  for  supplies,  they  cannot  keep  a  large  force 
at  one  point  for  any  length  of  time.  So  that  even  if  a  goodly 
force  under  some  great  excitement  or  provocation  may  assem 
ble  together  and  start  off  on  the  war-path  it  is  not  many 
days  ere  the  limited  supply  of  food  carried  by  each  one  be 
comes  exhausted,  and  they  are  obliged,  even,  it  may  be,  in 
the  enemy's  country,  to  begin  hunting  for  game. 

Open  warfare  in  the  field  as  generally  understood  among 
the  civilized  nations  was  hardly  known  among  the  Indians. 
They  ever  preferred  the  secret  attack,  generally  just  before 
sunrise.  No  particular  order  was  observed.  When  the  war- 
whoop  was  sounded  and  the  rush  upon  the  unsuspecting 
enemy  took  place  each  man  was  expected  to  do  the  best  he 
could.  They  generally  divested  themselves  of  the  greater 
part  of  their  clothing  as  they  rushed  into  the  fray.  In  some 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  23 

of  the  tribes  the  warriors  painted  themselves  with  vermilion 
and  other  striking  colors  in  the  most  hideous  manner,  the  ob 
ject  being  to  strike  terror  into  the  hearts  of  their  foes.  They 
advance  generally  in  Indian  tile  and  use  the  greatest  precau 
tion  on  the  march.  Several  of  the  most  skillful  scouts  are 
sent  on  ahead  to  watch  for  and  report  on  every  suspicious 
sign.  When  the  battle  begins  all  order  or  system  ceases. 
It  is  every  man  for  himself.  If  successful  they  return  home 
in  company.  If  obliged  to  retreat  each  survivor  makes  his 
way  home  as  best  he  can. 

The  badge  of  an  eagle's  feather  is  the  sign  of  being  a  suc 
cessful  warrior,  and  the  number  he  wears  is  indicative  of  the 
scalps  he  has  taken  from  his  enemies.  The  custom  of  scalp 
ing  their  enemies  is  peculiar  to  the  Indians.  We  know  of 
no  other  people  who  ever  were  guilty  of  this  horrid  practice 
unless  it  was  our  remote  German  ancestors  and  the  Vandals 
and  Huns.  They  have  a  strange  romantic  legend  accounting 
for  its  origin.  They  say  that  hundreds  of  years  ago,  perhaps 
thousands,  when  the  Indians  were  all  one  tribe  and  under  one 
great  chief,  a  dispute  arose  in  the  tribe  as  to  who  should  be 
come  chief,  the  old  chief  having  died  without  leaving  a  son 
to  succeed  him.  There  were  two  principal  aspirants  for  the 
chieftaincy,  and  each  of  them  had  a  strong  following.  The 
dispute  ended  in  dividing  the  tribe  and  in  war.  Previous 
to  this  time  scalping  was  unknown,  as  there  were  no  enemies 
to  scalp,  the  land  being  occupied  by  only  one  people.  Peace 
was  never  made  between  the  two  factions. 

The  chief  on  one  side  had  a  beautiful  daughter,  and  one  of 
the  leading  warriors  was  a  suitor  for  her  hand.  The  chief,  as 
a  condition  to  consenting  to  give  his  daughter  to  her  war 
rior-lover,  required  him  to  kill  the  chief  of  the  opposing  tribe 
(his  old-time  rival  for  the  chieftaincy),  and  to  bring  him 
proof  of  the  act.  The  warrior  accepted  the  condition.  It 
was  many  long  miles  to  the  camp  of  the  enemy  and  the  snow 
was  deep,  but  he  immediately  set  out  upon  his  mission. 
After  lying  in  wait  near  the  enemy's  camp  for  days  and  un- 


24  STOKIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

clergoing  great  suffering  from  the  extreme  cold  without  hav 
ing  an  opportunity  of  carrying  out  his  plan,  he  finally  one 
night  boldly  entered  the  camp,  walked  into  the  great  chief's 
lodge,  slew  him,  and,  cutting  off  his  head,  to  take  back  with 
him  as  proof,  started  to  return  to  his  own  people. 

The  next  morning  the  murder  was  discovered,  also  the 
murderer's  tracks  in  the  snow,  and  drops  of  blood  which  had 
fallen  from  the  dead  chieftain's  captured  head.  Two  hun 
dred  warriors  started  in  pursuit  of  the  murderer.  They 
almost  overtook  him,  and  he  could  hear  them  on  his  track. 
He  was  almost  tired  out,  and  the  dead  chief's  head  was 
growing  heavy,  yet  he  struggled  on  with  it  through  the  snow 
and  cold,  determined  not  to  relinquish  the  proof  which 
would  win  for  him  his  bride.  The  pursuers  pressed  him  so 
at  length  that  he  threw  away  every  weight  but  his  trophy. 
They  finally  gained  on  the  weary  brave  so  fast  that  it  seemed 
that  he  must  either  relinquish  his  prize  or  be  captured,  which, 
of  course,  would  be  death.  Whipping  out  his  rude  stone 
knife  (it  was  before  the  time  of  steel  knives  among  the  In 
dians),  he  hurriedly  stripped  off  the  scalp  from  the  dead  man's 
head  and  sped  on.  Thus  lightened  of  his  load,  he  made  his 
own  camp  in  safety,  the  scalp  was  accepted  as  sufficient  proof 
that  he  had  fulfilled  his  mission,  the  old  chief  no  longer 
withheld  his  consent,  and  the  bright-eyed  daughter  of  the 
forest  became  his  own.  Thus  originated  the  custom  of 
scalping  among  the  American  Indians,  according  to  the  tradi 
tion  of  some  of  the  tribes. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  25 


CHAPTER   II. 

ON     THE    WAY    TO    OUE    MISSION    FIELD — FORT    GARRY LAKE 

WINNIPEG PRIMITIVE     COOKING PEMMICAN THE    TUM 
BLE    IN     THE    LAKE CORDIAL    WELCOME NO     LOCKS     OR 

KEYS VISITORS  AT  ALL  HOURS THE  STARTLED    BEDROOM 

CALLER TEACHING    BY    EXAMPLE  AS  WELL  AS  PRECEPT 

LOVE    OF    THE    INDIANS    FOR    OUR    CHILDREN BEAUTIFUL 

INDIAN  NAMES  GIVEN    THEM. 

IN  the  year  1868  a  party  of  about  fifteen,  comprising  sev 
eral  missionaries,  teachers,  and  adventurers,  started  out 
from  the  city  of  Hamilton,  Canada.  Of  this  company  some 
were  going  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  then  almost  un 
known  North-west.  Others,  at  the  call  of  their  Church,  were 
going  out  as  missionaries  and  teachers  among  the  Indian 
tribes  of  the  wild  north  land.  The  destination  of  the  writer 
and  his  young  wife  was  to  be  among  Cree  Indians  at  Ross- 
ville  Mission,  near  Norway  House,  far  up  in  the  yet  unex 
plored  regions  north  of  Manitoba. 

With  the  primitive  means  of  transportation  of  those  days 
two  months  were  consumed  in  the  journey  to  the  city  of 
Winnipeg,  then  known  only  as  Fort  Garry.  The  days  spent 
on  the  great  lakes,  rivers,  and  prairies  were  full  of  advent 
ures  and  strange  experiences.  At  Fort  Garry  the  party  that 
had  so  long  traveled  in  company  broke  up,  some  to  push 
on  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  miles  westward,  some  to  remain 
in  the  Red  River  Settlement,  which  has  since  developed  into 
the  Province  of  Manitoba.  The  writer  and  his  wife  were 
under  the  necessity  of  waiting  for  a  few  days  for  some 
mode  of  conveyance  by  which  they  could  get  northward. 
The  longest  delays  end  sometime,  and  the  summons  to 
get  ready  and  start  came  abrupt  and  sudden.  We  hastily 
packed  up  our  camp-bed  and  traveling  outfit  and  hurried 


26  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

down  to  the  bank  of  Red  River,  where  we  found  waiting 
for  us  the  boat  in  which  our  long,  perilous  journey  was  to  be 
made.  It  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  large  skiff,  sharp 
at  both  ends,  and  known  as  a  Hudson  Bay  Company's  inland 
boat.  It  had  neither  deck,  awning,  nor  cabin. 

Its  crew  consisted  of  eight  Indians,  one  of  whom  was  called 
the  guide,  and  whose  duty  it  was  to  act  as  steersman. 
His  place  was  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  he  used  as  his 
steering  apparatus  a  long,  heavy  oar.  Into  this  little  boat 
our  traveling  outfit  was  quickly  thrown  and  a  snug  little 
place  was  assigned  to  us  in  the  stern  near  the  guide.  The 
Indian  boatmen,  with  their  oars,  soon  pushed  out  the  boat 
from  the  shore,  and,  rowing  with  a  precision  and  dash  that 
won  our  admiration,  we  started  down  the  Red  River  of  the 
North  under  happy  auspices  and  with  exhilarated  spirits. 

At  Lower  Fort  Garry,  which  is  a  massive  stone  structure, 
we  stopped  to  get  the  mails  for  the  Northern  Hudson  Bay 
Company's  ports  and  also  to  receive  Indian  supplies.  Then 
off  again  we  started,  leaving  behind  us  the  Selkirk  Settlement, 
with  its  romantic  history  and  its  baptism  of  blood.  The 
flourishing  Indian  Mission,  with  its  comfortable  homes  and 
cozy  church  and  well-clad,  fine-looking  natives,  flitted  by  as 
a  moving  panorama.  Observing  Tom,  the  guide,  heading 
for  the  shore,  I  asked  what  was  the  matter,  and  got  in  re 
sponse  the  answer,  "  We  are  going  to  take  on  board  another 
passenger."  Fancy  our  amazement  and  disgust  at  finding 
that  this  additional  compagnon  de  voyage  was  a  large  ox. 
Aided  by  some  stalwart  Indians  who  had  brought  him  down  to 
the  shore,  our  crew  soon  had  him  in  the  boat,  and  to  him  was 
assigned  a  position  directly  in  front  of  us  with  his  head  over 
one  side  of  the  boat,  and  his  tail  over  the  other.  Putting  it 
mildly,  we  would  have  preferred  his  room  to  his  company. 

We  camped  for  the  night  at  the  border  of  the  great  marsh, 
or  lagoon,  through  which  the  Red  River  by  many  channels 
finds  its  way  into  Lake  Winnipeg.  This  vast  morass  of 
reeds  and  rushes  is  the  home  of  innumerable  flocks  of  ducks 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  27 

and  other  aquatic  birds.     It  is  a  paradise  for  sportsmen  and 
mosquitoes. 

The  primitive  picturesque  camping  of  our  Indians  and  the 
utter  absence  of  conventional  ideas  in  the  preparation  of 
their  meals  very  much  interested  and  amused  us.  They  were 
furnished  by  the  company  with  an  abundance  of  pemmican, 
flour,  and  tea.  The  far-famed  pemmican  was  for  many  years 
the  staple  food  of  the  hardy  Indian  or  half-breed  voyager 
and  the  trip-men  of  the  great  North-west.  But  with  the  buf 
falo,  of  whose  meat  it  was  made,  it  has  disappeared.  Per 
haps  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  give  it  a  description  here, 
as  it  is  worthy  of  remembrance  for  the  prominence  it  once 
held.  The  writer  and  his  wife  used  it,  off  and  on,  for  years, 
and  they  hereby  testify  that  in  it  there  is  more  nourishment, 
pound  for  pound,  than  in  any  other  kind  of  food  they  ever 
used.  The  method  of  its  preparation  was  something  like 
this:  When  the  Indian  or  half-breed  hunters  succeeded  in 
killing  a  large  number  of  buffalos,  after  being  skinned  the 
meat  was  skillfully  cut  off  in  large  thin  flakes  and  strips. 
These  were  placed  on  a  frame  staging.  Utilizing  the  heat  and 
warmth  of  the  sun  above,  and  a  small,  steady  fire  made  of  buffalo 
chips  below,  these  thin  sheets  of  meat  were  soon  as  dry  as 
they  could  be.  The  next  step  in  the  process  was  to  pound 
this  dry  meat  as  fine  and  small  as  possible.  Large  bags,  capa 
ble  of  holding  from  one  to  three  bushels,  were  made  by  the 
squaws  out  of  the  fresh  buffalo  hides,  with  the  fur  side  out. 
Into  these  green  hide-bags  this  pounded,  dry  meat  was 
packed.  To  aid  in  the  packing  down  an  Indian,  in  his  dirty 
moccasined  feet,  would  frequently  jump  into  the  bag  and 
stamp  and  dance  around  in  it  as  it  was  held  up  by  two  other 
strong,  sturdy  fellows,  while  a  fourth  kept  shoveling  in  ad 
ditional  meat  until  no  more  could  be  packed  in.  Then  the 
melted  buffalo  tallow  was  poured  in  until  it  permeated  the 
whole  mass.  The  top  of  the  bag  was  then  skillfully  sewed 
together  with  sinew,  and  it  was  ready  for  use.  If  well  pre 
pared  it  would  keep  for  years.  This  pemmican  was  the  most 


28  STOfilES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

nourishing  food  I  ever  ate,  but  a  little  would  go  a  long  way, 
for  it  often  smelled  like  rotten  soap-grease.  Still  there  were 
many  times  in  our  after-life  when  we  were  glad  to  get  it. 

But  let  us  return  to  our  camp.  We  were  joined  at  Lower 
Fort  Garry  by  several  other  boats,  each  with  a  crew  of  eight 
Indians,  and  so  our  camp-fires  were  numerous.  While  every 
phase  of  this  new  life  was  interesting  we  were  specially 
amused  with  the  operations  of  one  of  the  Indian  cooks  who 
had  been  detailed  to  cook  the  "cakes"  for  his  party.  He 
had  neither  bake-board,  pan,  dish,  nor  oven.  Our  curiosity 
was  excited  to  observe  his  methods,  and  so,  without  seeming 
to  attract  his  attention,  with  great  interest  we  followed  his 
various  movements  and  expedients  and  admired  his  invent 
ive  skill.  Truly,  "  necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention." 
Having  no  baking-pan  in  which  to  pour  out  his  flour,  he  pro 
ceeded  to  clear  away  the  dust  and  leaves  from  a  granite  rock 
that  cropped  up  to  the  surface  near  by.  His  moccasined 
foot  performed  this  operation  sufficiently  to  suit  his  simple 
taste.  Then  from  the  bag  he  poured  out  fifteen  or  twenty 
pounds  of  flour  on  this  spot.  Having  no  dish  in  which  to 
bring  water  from  the  river  to  mix  with  his  flour,  he  found  a 
capital  substitute  in  his  dirty  old  greasy  felt  hat.  Several 
trips  down  to  the  river  gave  him  sufficient,  and  soon  he  had 
the  whole  deftly  mixed  into  dough.  His  next  move  was  to 
build  up  a  capital  fire,  and  then,  from  the  willows  near  the 
shore,  to  supply  himself  with  quite  a  number  of  sticks  about 
the  size  and  length  of  ordinary  walking-canes.  Then  spit 
ting  on  his  hands  he  attacked  that  pile  of  dough.  He  tore 
off  a  piece  weighing  about  a  pound,  and  after  kneading  it 
and  rolling  it  between  his  hands  he  stuck  the  lump  on  the 
end  of  one  of  those  cane-like  sticks  ;  then  skillfully  work 
ing  the  dough  down  a  little  way  he  flattened  it  out  into  the 
shape  of,  and  what  is  really  called,  a  "  beaver's  tail."  Care 
fully  pushing  the  other  end  of  the  stick  down  into  the  soft 
ground  near  the  fire,  the  trowel-like  cake  was  slanted  to  the 
right  distance  near  the  fire  to  be  cooked.  When  one  side 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  29 

was  done  brown  it  was  turned  over,  and  soon  the  "  beavers' 
tails  "  were  ready  for  the  hungry  men.  Pemmican  cakes  and 
tea  were  considered  by  these  hardy  men  as  the  best  of  liv 
ing.  The  evening  pipe  was  smoked,  pleasant  chat  and 
bright  repartee  went  around,  and  then  these  Christian  Indians 
sang  their  evening  hymn  and  reverently  bowled  in  prayer. 
Some  wrapped  themselves  up  in  their  blankets  and  curled 
down  under  the  stars,  on  the  rocks,  to  rest.  Others  of  us, 
more  fortunate,  retired  to  our  little  tent  to  try  and  sleep,  but 
we  found  it  hard  work  after  the  excitement  of  this  adventur 
ous  day. 

Between  three  and  four  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  mu 
sical  cry  of  the  guide,  "Koos-koos-kwah!"  ("Wake  up!") 
was  heard.  Every  body  sprang  up,  and  all  was  hurry  and 
excitement.  Although  so  very  early  in  the  morning  it  was 
broad  daylight,  for  we  were  getting  up  in  the  high  latitudes. 
•"  Sou-wa-nas!  "  ("South  wind!")  shouted  the  glad  Indians, 
for  that  meant  that  instead  of  laboring  all  day  at  the  oars 
the  favoring  gale  would  waft  us  on  northward  toward  our 
destination.  A  fire  was  hastily  prepared.  Our  kettles  of 
tea  were  made,  and  then  all  bowed  down  at  morning  prayers. 
Tents  were  quickly  taken  down,  and,  with  the  bedding,  were 
soon  stowed  away  in  the  boats.  Then  all  embarked  and  we 
pushed  out  into  the  river.  Each  boat  was  furnished  with  a 
mast,  which,  when  not  in  use,  was  kept  tied  alongside  under 
the  rowlocks.  These  were  quickly  stepped  and  securely 
fastened.  The  single  big  square  sail  was  hoisted,  and  as  it 
caught  the  southern  breeze  we  were  soon  out  of  the  river 
and  gayly  dancing  over  the  waves  of  the  great  Lake  Winni 
peg.  While  two  or  three  of  the  crew  "  trimmed  the  sail  " 
the  rest  of  us  attacked  our  provision-bags,  and  with  the  ket 
tles  of  hot  tea  we  made  out  a  capital  breakfast,  as  we  were 
being  so  rapidly,  yet  so  pleasantly,  wafted  along. 

"  Winnipeg  "  is  an  Indian  word,  and  literally  means  "  the 
sea."  It  is  well  named,  as  it  is  one  of  the  largest  and  storm 
iest  lakes  on  the  continent,  being  about  as  long  as  Lakes 


SO  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

Erie  and  Ontario  combined.  It  is  indented  with  many  large 
bays  and  has  in  it  many  rocky  islands  and  sandy  bars.  As 
our  boat  was  such  a  frail  one  wre  went  ashore  every  evening 
to  camp  and  cook  our  meals.  Generally  the  water  was  deep, 
and  our  little  boat  could  come  in  close  to  the  shore  and  we 
could  easily  step  out  on  to  the  dry  land.  But  there  were 
places  where  the  water  was  so  shallow  that  our  boat  grounded 


HE  SUDDENLY  DUCKED  DOWN,   AND  I  WENT  OVER  HIS  HEAD  INTO  THE  LAKE. 

in  the  sand  a  hundred  feet  or  more  from  the  shore.  When 
this  happened  a  broad-shouldered  man,  named  So-qua-a-tum, 
would  jump  into  the  water,  and,  coming  around  to  the 
stern  of  the  boat,  would  take  Mrs.  Young  on  his  back  or 
shoulders  safely  to  the  shore.  I  would  undress  my  feet  and 
wade  ashore.  One  day  the  big  guide,  as  he  saw  me  about 
to  take  off  my  shoes,  said: 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  31 

"  Missionary,  let  me  carry  you  ashore  like  So-qua-a-tum 
carried  your  wife." 

"All  right,  Tom,"  I  replied. 

He  jumped  into  the  water,  and,  coming  around  to  the  side 
of  the  boat,  placed  himself  in  position  for  me  to  get  on  his 
back.  Just  as  I  let  myself  go  to  catch  hold  of  him  he  sud 
denly  ducked  down,  and  I  went  over  his  head  into  the  lake,, 
amid  roars  of  laughter  from  the  men.  He  said  he  slipped,, 
and  urged  me  to  try  again,  but  I  preferred  ever  after  to- 
wade  ashore. 

After  fourteen  days  of  varied  experiences  on  the  lake  we 
reached  our  northern  home.  We  were  cordially  welcomed  at 
the  Norway  House,  Hudson  Bay  Fort,  and  after  tea  we 
were  taken  over  by  the  chief  factor  of  the  fort  to  the  Indian 
village  two  and  a  half  miles  away,  which  was  for  years  to 
be  our  home,  and  our  real  missionary  life  had  begun.  For 
the  first  five  years  of  our  missionary  life  we  lived  among 
the  Cree  Indians.  Noble  men  had  done  good  service  for  the 
Master  here,  and  we  were  permitted  to  see  at  once  some  of 
the  blessed  results  of  their  labors.  While  there  were  still 
many  pagan  Indians  around  there  were  also  many  genuine 
followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Very  cordial  was  the  welcome 
given  us  by  them,  and  we  very  quickly  began  to  feel  at 
home  among  them,  although  we  were  four  hundred  miles 
from  the  nearest  post-office  or  other  signs  of  civilization. 

We  let  it  be  known  immediately  after  our  arrival  among 
them  that  we  did  not  intend  to  lock  a  door  or  fasten  a 
window,  that  nothing  was  under  lock  and  key,  that  to  do 
them  good  we  had  come  from  a  far-away  happy  home  to 
live  among  them ;  and  we  told  them  that  in  return  we  ex 
pected  them  to  be  honest  and  true  to  us.  This  confidence  in 
them  was  never  abused;  we  never  had  any  thing  stolen  from 
us.  And  yet,  Indian-like,  they  loved  to  come  to  our  house 
and  visit  every  room  and  examine  every  thing  strange  to 
them. 

As  they  all  wear  moccasins   on  their  feet,   and   so  move 


82  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAMS 

around  like  cats,  it  did  at  first  seem  strange  to  have  them, 
sometimes  in  large  numbers,  flitting  around  through  the 
different  rooms  in  their  quiet  way.  As  our  acquaintanceship 
became  more  intimate,  through  the  increasing  knowledge  of 
their  language,  our  opportunities  for  aiding  them  were  en 
larged.  Ultimately  we  were  considered  not  only  their  mission 
ary  but  their  doctor,  dentist,  lawyer,  and  many  other  things  be 
sides.  Often  with  heavy  satchel,  carrying  food  and  medicine, 
did  I  go  from  wigwam  to  wigwam  ministering,  as  well  as  I 
could,  to  the  sick  of  all  ages,  from  the  old,  decrepit  ones  to 
the  little  children,  the  mortality  among  whom,  owing  to  their 
wretched  abodes,  was  very  great.  As  a  natural  consequence 
the  mission-house  was  the  general  resort  of  any  or  all  who 
had  business  with  us  which  called  for  the  exercise  of  our 
abilities,  imaginary  or  real,  along  any  of  these  lines.  And  so 
they  came  with  their  troubles  and  sorrows  and  perplexities 
T>y  day  or  by  night.  The  door  was  never  closed  against 
them,  and  as  Indians  have  a  natural  aversion  to  knock 
ing  they  would  quietly  come  in,  and  if  they  could  not  find 
us  in  one  room  they  would  search  through  the  whole  house, 
or  until  successful.  We  have  been  aroused  at  midnight  or 
during  the  small  hours  of  the  morning  by  the  noise  of  a 
chair  being  violently  thrown  down  or  the  slamming  of  a 
table-leaf.  Springing  up  from  my  bed,  I  would  go  out  into 
the  kitchen  or  dining-room  and  would  there  often  find  four 
or  five  big  Indians. 

Perhaps  my  nervous  friends  would  be  startled  at  the 
thought  of  this  unceremonious  midnight  visit.  But  we  got 
to  consider  it  as  an  almost  every-day,  or  rather  every-night, 
occurrence.  Inquiring  the  cause  of  their  coming,  we  heard 
the  following  from  among  the  almost  endless  variety  of 
reasons  : 

"  Missionary,  you  know  George  went  out  shooting  deer  ?  " 
"  Yes,"  I  replied  ;  "  I  heard  him  say  that  he  knew  where  a 
herd  of  reindeer  had  passed  along  and  he  thought  he  would 
go  and  have  a  shot  at  them." 


AND  NOETHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  33 

"  Well,  he  did  go,"  they  said,  "  and  when  he  came  up  to 
them  and  fired,  his  gun  exploded  and  blew  off  part  of  his 
hand.  Will  you  please  come  quick  over  to  the  wigwam 
where  we  have  brought  him  ?  Bring  your  instruments  and 
bandages,  please.,  and  fix  him  up." 

Of  course,  I  would  dress  and  hurry  away  with  them  to  do 
the  best  I  could  for  the  badly  wounded  man.  Occasionally 
I  have  been  aroused  by  the  loud,  forced  cough  of  some  one 
in  the  room.  I  hurry  out  to  this  night  visitor,  and,  inquiring 
the  reasons  of  his  coming,  my  sympathies  are  at  once  aroused 
by  his  words  and  his  emotions. 

"  Missionary,"  he  says,  "  my  wife  he  very  sick."  (They 
never  use  "she"  when  speaking  of  their  wives.)  "He  going 
to  die.  He  say  to  me,  *  William,  you  go  to  our  missionary, 
and  you  ask  him  to  come  and  bring  with  him  the  great  book, 
to  read  to  me,  and  to  pray  with  me  before  I  go  out  into  the 
great  beyond;  for  I  will  not  see  another  sun  rise.' >! 

Quickly  do  I  respond  to  this  appeal,  and  soon  we  are  hur 
rying  through  the  gloom  to  the  little  home,  where  he  of 
whom  Horace  sings  when  he  says, 

"  He  comes  alike,  with  equal  fate, 
To  palace  door  or  cabin  gate," 

is  feeling  for  the  heart-strings  of  the  dying  woman.  We 
stay  in  the  little  home  until  the  quiet,  trustful  spirit  flits 
away  into  the  presence  of  Him  in  whom,  in  .her  child-like 
faith,  she  so  calmly  trusted.  Thus  they  came,  and  they  ever 
found  an  open  door,  even  if  at  times  their  reasons  for  coming 
seemed  trivial  or  unnecessary. 

Once,  through  a  great  storm,  and  at  an  unseemly  hour, 
came  an  old  Indian. 

"  Well,  Oo-see-me-mou,  what  is  it  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Missionary,"  he  replied,  "  you  know  my  cow  was  very 
sick?" 

"Certainly,"  I  said;  "did  I  not  give  you  a  condition 
powder  for  her  ?  " 


84  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"  Well,  missionary,"  he  answered,  with  all  the  glee  of  a 
youngster  with  his  first  pair  of  trousers,  "  my  cow  she  all  well 
again,  and  I  thought  I  must  come  over  and  tell  you." 

I  congratulated  him  and  sent  him  off  happy  to  his  home 
miles  away. 

They  were  grateful  for  our  open  door  and  for  our  interest 
in  them,  and  they  never  betrayed  our  confidence  in  them 
by  pilfering  or  by  any  dishonorable  action.  But  we  really 
would  have  been  glad  if  we  could  have  got  them  into  the 
habit  of  knocking  at  the  door  when  they  came.  This  seemed, 
however,  to  be  an  impossibility ;  so,  as  a  natural  result,  the- 
situation  was  sometimes  a  little  awkward,  as  the  following 
will  show. 

One  morning  I  arose  very  early  and  went  off  to  help  a 
couple  of  Indians  about  their  line  fences.  Soon  after  one 
of  the  big  Indians,  wishing  to  see  me,  came  to  the  mission- 
house.  He  quietly  opened  the  front  door  and  went  in.  Not 
finding  me  in  the  first  room,  he  noiselessly  opened  the  next 
door  and  inspected  that  room.  Failing  there  to  find  me,  he 
pushed  on  to  the  next  door,  which  happened  to  be  that  of 
our  bedroom.  Mrs.  Young  had  just  risen,  and,  throwing  a 
shawl  over  her  shoulders  and  night-dress,  was  combing  her 
hair  at  the  mirror,  which  was  opposite  to  the  door.  Fancy 
her  amazement  at  seeing  reflected  in  the  glass  before  her  the 
head  and  shoulders  of  the  Indian,  who  had  quietly  opened 
the  door  and  was  looking  round  the  room.  She  turned  on 
him  indignantly  and  shouted,  "  A-wtis-ta  kena!  "  ("Get out,, 
you!  ")  He  quickly  got  out. 

I  met  him  an  hour  or  two  after,  and  not  having  yet  been 
home  I  had  to  hear  the  story  from  him.  He  seemed  very 
much  crestfallen  in  his  manner,  and  told  me  that  Ookemas- 
quao  (Mrs.  Young's  Indian  name)  was  very  cross  to  him,  and 
said  "  A-wus-ta  kena! "  so  very  cross  to  him  that  it  made  him 
jump.  I  laughed  at  him  in  his  troubles  and  humiliation  at 
having  been  spoken  to  so  sternly  by  the  dear,  woman  they 
had  all  learned  to  love  so  well,  and  told  him  that  perhaps  in- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  35 

future,  when  he  wanted  to  find  me,  he  had  better  knock  at 
each  door  before  he  entered. 

The  Indians  are  quick  and  observant,  and  so  there  was 
ever  a  disposition  to  see  if  in  the  home  of  the  missionary 
there  were  practiced  the  teachings  which  were  enunciated 
from  the  pulpit  or  which  entered  so  largely  into  the  advice 
and  counsel  which  we  gave  them  as  we  made  our  pastoral 
rounds  at  their  little  houses  or  wigwams. 

Frequently  there  were  scores  of  them  in  the  mission-house, 
each  one  with  some  request  or  reason  for  coming,  and  all 
alert  and  Avatchful  to  see  how  this  or  that  was  done.  Of 
course,  it  required  time  and  patience  for  many  of  them  to  be 
skillful  in  the  performance  of  some  new  domestic  duties. 
Very  easily  were  some  of  them  discouraged  and  down 
hearted  at  their  lack  of  ability  to  do  as  well  as  the  mission 
ary's  wife,  which  was  ever  their  ideal  of  perfection.  All 
Mrs.  Young  had  to  do  to  cause  their  faces  to  brighten  was 
to  say,  "  Persevere,  and  try  again.  I  wish  I  could  scale 
and  cook  the  fish  as  skillfully  as  you  can,  and  who  knows 
but  you  will  soon  be  able  to  beat  me  at  this  new  work  also." 
Thus  encouraged  they  would  try  and  try  again,  until  in 
their  simple  household  duties  and  with  their  needle  and 
thread  many  of  them  were  not  inferior  to  some  of  their  more 
highly  favored  sisters  in  other  lands. 

Great  indeed  was  the  love  which  they  had  for  our  dear 
children  born  while  we  lived  among  them.  The  watchful 
solicitude  of  the  Indian  women  over  the  precious  mother, 
both  before  and  after  the  darling  ones  were  born,  was  beyond 
all  praise.  Their  loving  care  and  skill  in  that  isolated  land, 
where  no  physician  was  within  four  hundred  miles  of  us, 
could  not  have  been  surpassed. 

Great  indeed  were  the  rejoicings  among  the  Indians  when 
it  was  announced  that  a  child  was  born  at  the  mission-house, 
and  many  were  the  callers  with  congratulations,  from  the 
dignified  chief  and  principal  men  to  the  dear  old  grandmas 
of  the  people. 


86  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

Our  children  were  considered  as  of  the  tribe  and  treated 
as  to  the  manner  born.  It  was  often  quite  amusing  to  see 
how  great  an  interest  some  claimed  in  them.  It  was  no  un 
common  thing  to  have  a  couple  of  great  stalwart  Indians 
come  into  the  house  in  their  noiseless  way,  and  without  even 
saying,  "By  your  leave,"  or  even  giving  us  the  morning 
salutation,  to  pick  up  our  little  ones,  from  two  years  old 
and  upward,  and,  quickly  seating  them  on  their  shoulders, 
to  quietly  flit  away  with  them  to  their  wigwams  in  the 
forest. 

Never  did  our  children  seem  happier  than  when  thus  rid 
ing  on  the  shoulders  of  these  big  Indians  and  holding  on  to  the 
tresses  of  their  coal-black  hair,  and  never  did  the  black  eyes 
of  these  red  men  seem  to  beam  with  a  softer  or  happier 
radiance  than  when  they  saw  the  confidence  and  trust  which 
these  darling  children  of  the  pale-faces  reposed  in  them 
as  they  prattled  out  their  childish  joy  in  both  Cree  and 
English. 

We  were  fortunate  in  having  children  who  were  not  nerv 
ous  or  timid,  and  who  seemed  just  about  as  fond  of  the 
swarthy  Indians  as  of  their  pale-faced  parents.  Of  course, 
they  were  all  given  Indian  names.  Egerton,  our  first-born 
and  only  son,  they  called  Sagastaookemou,  which  means 
"the  sunrise  gentleman."  Lilian,  ever  full  of  mirth  and 
brightness,  they  called  Minnehaha,  or  "Laughing- water." 
To  precious  Nellie,  who  was  born  when  the  leaves  were 
falling,  and  who  tarried  with  us  hardly  a  year,  they  gave  a 
beautiful  name  that  seemed  to  be  but  a  sad  prophecy  of  her 
short  life.  They  called  her  a  beautiful  Indian  word,  which 
literally  meant  "  the  rustling  of  the  falling  leaf."  Florence, 
born  in  the  pleasant  spring-time,  when  the  birds  were  return 
ing  after  the  long,  cold,  quiet  winter,  and  filling  the  air  with 
their  melodies,  they  called  Souwanahquanapeke,  which  means 
"  the  voice  of  the  south-wind  birds." 

We  give  the  pictures  of  our  two  eldest  children  as  they 
appeared  when  at  the  call  of  the  missionary  authorities  we 


MINNEHAI1A    AXD    SAGASTAOOKEMOU. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  37 

first  came  out  to  civilization  for  a  round  of  missionary  anni 
versary  services  from  Sarnia  to  Quebec.  The  Indian  women, 
who  loved  to  dress  them  up  in  the  beautiful  bead  and  silk 
worked  leather  costume  of  their  country,  would  hardly 
recognize  them  as  they  here  appear  in  their  first  suits  of  civ  • 
ilized  apparel. 


38  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  III. 

HAPPY  ROUTINE  DUTIES — SURRENDER  OF  THE  HUDSON  BAY 
COMPANY'S  CHARTER — AN  INCREASE  OF  OUR  RESPONSIBIL 
ITIES REVERENCE  FOR  THE  SABBATH  AND  LOVE  FOR 

AND  GOOD  ATTENDANCE   IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD PAPOOSES 

HUNG  ON  THE  WALLS STORY  OF  THE  MISSIONARY'S  SER 
MON  ON  SABBATH  OBSERVANCE  AND  WHAT  RESULTED — 

THE  SHATTERED  HAND THE  WOUNDED   MAN'S  TESTIMONY 

— HIS  CONVERSION  AND  DEATH THE  BRAVE  SABBATH- 
KEEPING  GUIDE THE  SINKING  OF  THE  SHIP INDIANS 

DEEPLY  IMPRESSED  — ANOTHER  ARGUMENT  FOR  THE  SANC 
TITY  OF  THE  SABBATH THE  BRIGADE  OF  BOATS — THE 

INLAND    FUR-TRADE PORTAGING MARVELOUS  STRENGTH 

AND  ENDURANCE  OF  THE  TRIP-MEN DR.  TAYLOR'S  TESTI 
MONY THE  PRACTICAL  TESTING  OF  THE  QUESTION  BE 
TWEEN  THE  SABBATH-KEEPING  AIS^D  NON-SABBATH-KEEP 
ING  BRIGADES THE  CAMP-FIRE  STORY THE  SABBATH 

VINDICATED. 

SOON  after  our  arrival  we  were  on  friendly  terms  with  all, 
and  the  blessing  of  Heaven  rested  upon  our  efforts.  The 
good  work  begun  by  noble  men  and  women  who  years 
before  had  penetrated  into  these  remote  regions  and  amid 
many  privations  had  commenced  the  seed-sowing  was  now 
yielding  the  welcome  harvest.  May  the  sowers  and  the 
reapers  by  and  by  rejoice  together  ! 

With  my  faithful  interpreter,  Timothy  Bear,  I  visited  from 
house  to  house  and  wigwam  to  wigwam.  An  almost  univer 
sal  desire  to  accept  the  white  man's  way  had  taken  possession 
of  these  Indians,  and  so  there  was  but  little  opposition.  Even 
old  Tapastanum,  the  conjurer,  became  friendly  and  fre 
quently  called  to  have  a  talk  over  a  cup  of  tea. 

Thus  the  blessed  work  extended  and  increased  until  the 
Sabbath  congregation  amounted  to  several  hundreds  and  the 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  39 

Sabbath  and  day  schools  were  in  a  prosperous  condition. 
As  the  Indians  have  so  little  literature  in  their  own  language 
we  had  both  Indian  and  English  taught  in  the  day-schools, 
the  latter,  however,  with  but  indifferent  success. 

A  few  years  after  our  arrival  the  charter  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  was  bought  up  by  the  government  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada.  This  charter  had  given  them  the 
right  to  the  exclusive  trade  in  furs  with  the  Indians  in  all 
this  great  North-west  country.  The  loss  of  their  charter  was 
the  signal  for  an  influx  of  traders  and  adventurers  to  the 
country  to  barter  with  the  Indians  for  their  valuable  furs.  The 
coming  in  of  these  persons,  many  of  whom,  we  are  sorry  to 
say,  were  without  much  principle  or  character,  gave  us  a 
good  deal  of  anxiety  and  very  much  added  to  our  duties. 
To  keep  our  people  pure  and  sober  we  were  resolved,  if  pos 
sible.  A  system  of  native  police  was  organized  and  every 
effort  was  put  forth  with  a  good  degree  of  success  to  keep 
all  intoxicating  liquors  out  of  the  land.  Soon  after  the  gov 
ernment  took  up  the  matter,  and  we  ever  after,  up  in  that 
land,  at  least,  could  rejoice  that  there  were  prohibitory  laws 
that  really  did  prohibit. 

Another  thing  that  very  much  pleased  us  was  that  the  In 
dians  so  easily  and  almost  universally  accepted  the  teachings 
of  the  good  book  in  reference  to  reverencing  and  keeping 
holy  the  Sabbath  day.  Very  confidently  can  I  say  that  I 
never  in  any  land  saw  the  sacred  day  better  observed.  Such 
a  thing  as  hunting  or  fishing  on  the  Sabbath  was  unknown. 
The  day  was  one  of  rest  and  religious  worship;  every  body 
able  to  attend  the  house  of  God  was  at  all  the  services  ; 
all  the  family  attended.  I  always  encouraged  the  Indian 
mothers  to  bring  along  their  babies.  They  brought  them 
well  wrapped  up  in  moss-bags  strapped  on  a  board.  This 
primitive  contrivance  is  called  a  cradle.  The  outer  cloth 
covering  of  this  cradle  is  often  decorated  with  the  most 
beautiful  bead- work.  With  the  babies  lovingly  stowed  away 
in  them,  the  mothers  carry  them  on  their  backs  supported  by 


40  STOfilES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

a  strap  from  their  foreheads.  When  they  bring  them  to 
church  they  frequently  stand  them  in  the  windows  or  hang 
them  on  the  walls.  It  seemed  at  first  a  little  novel  to  me  to 
preach  in  a  church  where  not  only  were  there  scores  of  In 
dians  seated  on  the  floor  in  preference  to  using  the  benches, 
but  where  in  addition  there  were  a  goodly  number  of  fat- 
faced,  black-eyed  papooses  hanging  up  on  the  walls  around 
me.  Usually  they  were  very  good  babies  and  seldom  cried. 
When  one  did  begin  the  watchful  mother  generally  succeeded 
in  quickly  quieting  it  again.  I  have  no  sympathy  with  the 
nervous  preacher  who  cannot  stand  the  music  of  a  baby's 
voice,  whether  the  child  is  red,  black,  or  white. 

What  sight  is  there  more  delightful  than  to  see  the  par 
ents  and  all  the  children  together  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  ? 
And  especially  cheering  was  the  sight  to  us  in  that  land 
where  the  people  had  but  lately  emerged  from  a  degrading 
paganism  which  taught  very  different  things. 

This  reverence  for  the  Sabbath  and  love  for  the  services 
of  the  sanctuary  was  not  only  a  blessing  to  the  people  them 
selves,  but  it  produced  a  deep  impression  on  many  of  the  un 
converted  natives  around,  who  were  still  refusing  to  accept 
of  Christianity.  Several  things  also  occurred  which  tended 
to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the  people  the  beneficial  re 
sults  which  follow  from  keeping  the  day  sacred,  and  also  the 
fact  that  punishments  sometime  come  to  those  who  disobey 
the  commands  of  Him  who  has  said,  "  Remember  the  Sab 
bath  day,  to  keep  it  holy." 

The  following  story  was  told  me  as  we  rested  one  quiet 
Sabbath  day  on  one  of  my  long  canoe  trips  at  a  camp-fire 
on  the  bank  of  a  river  very  near  to  the  place  where  the 
event  occurred.  The  narrator  was  present  when  the  inci 
dent  took  place.  He  said: 

"A  zealous  missionary  who  was  passing  through  this  part 
of  the  country,  finding  these  Indians  were  without  a  mission 
ary,  stayed  here  for  several  days  and  conversed  with  them 
about  the  Christian  religion.  Many  became  quite  interested 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  41 

in  his  message  and  gathered  a  number  of  the  people  to  hear 
him.  He  spent  a  Sabbath  day  with  them,  and  in  his  sermons 
he  urged  them  to  listen  to  what  he  had  to  tell  them  out  of  the 
great  book.  Among  other  things,  he  told  them  that  the  Great 
.Spirit  had  appointed  one  day  in  seven  for  quiet  rest  and 
worship.  He  did  not  wish  them  to  hunt  or  fish  on  that  day, 
and  if  they  desired  his  favor  they  must  keep  holy  the  Sab 
bath  day.  He  also  said  the  Great  Spirit  was  angry  with 
those  who  disobeyed  him,  and  that  he  would  punish  those 
who  did  not  listen  to  his  words.  While  the  missionary  was 
thus  talking  an  old  chief  sprang  up  and  said:  *  I  don't  believe 
it.  I  am  not  afraid  to  hunt  or  fish  on  this  day.  I  will  do  as  I 
like  on  every  day.'  And  to  show  how  little  he  cared  for  the 
missionary's  words  he  rushed  off  and,  seizing  his  gun  and  am 
munition,  sprang  into  his  canoe,  which  WMS  only  a  few  yards 
£,way  from  where  the  people  were  gathered  together  on  the 
bank  of  the  river.  He  quickly  paddled  away,  and  as  he  rounded 
the  point  and  disappeared  he  shouted  back  his  defiant  words. 
"The  missionary  had  not  heeded  the  interruption,  and 
went  on  with  the  service.  Soon  after  a  shot  was  heard. 
Then  after  a  while  the  Indian  was  seen  coming  back  in 
his  canoe.  It  was  observed  that  he  returned  very  slowly 
.and  was  only  paddling  with  one  hand.  As  he  came  to  the 
place  of  landing  some  of  his  friends  went  to  him  and  found 
that  he  was  in  trouble.  However,  he  said  but  little  until  he 
had  landed  from  his  canoe  and  had  come  up  among  the  little 
company  of  people  to  whom  the  missionary  was  still 
talking.  Then  lifting  up  one  of  his  arms,  from  which  it  was 
seen  the  hand  was  nearly  shot  off,  he  said  in  a  loud  voice: 
*  It  would  have  been  a  good  thing  for  me  if  I  had  listened 
to  the  words  of  the  missionary  and  stayed  here  instead 
of  rushing  away  to  hunt  on  this  day.  See  here,'  he  said,  as 
he  shook  the  shattered  arm,  around  which  he  had  tightly 
twisted  his  sash-belt  to  stop  the  bleeding,  'see  how  I  am 
punished  for  my  sin  !  Now  I  believe  there  is  a  God  who 
is  angry  with  and  can  punish  those  who  do  not  keep  his  day.' " 
4 


42  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

The  incident  produced  a  very  great  impression  upon  the 
people  at  the  time.  However,  as  the  missionary's  stay  among 
them  was  but  a  short  one  and  they  were  not  visited  again 
for  years  no  apparent  results  for  good  were  then  seen. 
Years  after,  when  I  took  up  this  place  as  one  of  my  out- 
stations  from  Norway  House,  no  Indian  more  cordially  wel 
comed  me  than  the  old  man  with  only  one  hand.  Earnestly 
did  he  listen  to  the  truth  and  strive  to  obtain  all  the  informa 
tion  possible  for  his  soul's  comfort. 

I  could  only  visit  his  land  twice  a  year,  once  in  summer 
in  a  birch  canoe,  and  then  again  in  winter  with  my  dogs. 
He  drank  in  the  truth  and  tried  to  live  as  a  Christian  should. 
On  one  of  my  visits  I  missed  him  from  among  the  company 
that  had  gathered  to  welcome  me  on  my  arrival.  In  an 
swer  to  my  inquiries  as  to  his  absence  they  told  me  that  he 
was  dead,  but  that  about  the  only  wish  he  had  had  during 
his.  sickness  was  that  he  might  live  until  the  missionary  ar 
rived  to  talk  with  him  about  Jesus  and  pray  with  him. 
When  the  end  drew  near  his  mind  at  times  seemed  to  be 
wandering,  and  he  talked  about  various  things,  but  the  most 
of  the  time  he  seemed  to  be  in  prayer.  At  the  close  he 
raised  himself  up  and  said  to  his  son  Jacob,  "  O,  I  wish  the 
missionary  were  here!  "  Then  he  laid  back  and  died. 

The  missionary  was  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away,  but 
he  firmly  believes  the  omnipresent  Saviour  was  there  and 
poor  old  Cha-koos  found  as  he  left  his  old  maimed  body  be 
hind  that  he  had  exchanged  his  old  wigwam  for  a  mansion 
in  the  celestial  city. 

Another  event  that  produced  a  profound  impression  upon 
the  Indians  as  regards  Sabbath  observance  was  the  smash- 
11  p  on  the  Lord's  day  of  the  first  steam-boat  ever  built  on 
the  great  Saskatchewan  River.  This  boat  was  built  at  the 
foot  of  the  Grand  Rapids,  which  are  near  the  mouth  of  this 
great  river,  which,  rising  in  the  far  West  near  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  pours  its  vast  flood  of  waters  into  Lake  Winnipeg. 

When  the  steam-boat  was  being  built  a  number  of  our 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  43 

skillful  Christian  Indians,  who  were  clever  with  tools,  were 
employed  by  the  white  builders  to  aid  in  the  work.  As  some 
difficulty  was  expected  in  getting  the  boat  up  the  rapids  the- 
most  skillful  guide  on  the  river  was  sent  for  to  act  as  pilot,- 
lle  had  for  many  years  been  employed  as  guide  by  the  Hud 
son  Bay  Company  to  take  charge  of  their  brigades  of  boats 
which  annually  carried  up  the  cargoes  of  goods  for  traffic 
and  returned  laden  with  the  rich  furs  from  the  interior 
trading-posts.  As  the  result  of  his  long  years  of  duty  on 
the  river  he  knew  more  about  its  treacherous  shoals  and 
dangerous  rapids  than  any  other  man.  When  the  boat  was 
finished  it  was  loaded  with  its  valuable  cargo,  being  the 
outfits  for  all  the  trading-places  in  that  great  North-west. 
Steam  was  got  up  and  word  was  sent  for  the  guide  to  come 
on  board  and  take  his  place  as  pilot  and  direct  their  course 
up  the  dangerous  rapids.  The  answer  of  the  man  was.> 
characteristic  and  worthy  of  remembrance:  "I  am  a  Chris 
tian.  My  missionary  has  taught  me  to  remember  the  Sabbatln 
day,  to  keep  it  holy.  Never  since  I  have  become  a  Christian 
have  I  traveled  on  the  Sabbath  day  on  this  river,  and  I  do 
not  intend  to  begin  now." 

Of  course,  there  was  annoyance  and  indignation  in  the 
hearts  of  the  officials  of  the  great  company  that  had  built 
the  boat.  The  bold,  fearless  words  of  the  brave  Christian 
Indian  surprised  and  startled  them  somewhat,  but,  standing 
on  their  dignity,  they  thought  it  would  never  do  to  yield  to- 
this  fool  and  fanatic,  as  they  called  him.  However,  knowing- 
something  of  the  firmness  of  the  man,  they  did  not  by  bribes 
or  cajolery  try  to  induce  him  to  yield,  but  immediately  began 
to  try  and  secure  a  man  to  take  his  place.  As  the  reward 
promised  was  considerable,  they  succeeded  in  finding  in  the 
crowd  of  Indians  on  the  shore  a  man  who  professed  to  have 
sufficient  knowledge  of  the  rapids  to  steer  the  boat  safely  up 
to  the  smooth  waters  beyond. 

With  a  few  sarcastic  flings  at  the  brave  Christian  man 
who  had  thus  lost  his  pay  for  the  sake  of  his  conscience,  the 


44  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

men  embarked  and  the  boat  moved  out  from  the  shore  and 
began  to  stem  the  current  of  the  great  river.  The  new 
guide,  so  hastily  secured,  turned  out  to  be  the  possessor  of 
more  presumption  than  knowledge  of  the  river.  Soon  he 
had  the  boat  in  a  wrong  channel,  and  in  spite  of  all  that 
could  be  done,  even  by  the  aid  of  strong  hawsers  on  the 
shore,  the  vessel  swung  round  broadside  in  the  stream,  and 
such  was  the  force  of  the  current  that  the  ropes  snapped 
and  the  steamer  was  carried  back  down  the  rapids,  and,  col 
lapsing  like  an  egg-shell,  went  to  the  bottom  with  its  valuable 
cargo.  Fortunately,  many  Indians  with  their  canoes  were 
close  at  hand  when  the  accident  occurred,  and,  paddling  to 
the  rescue,  they  succeeded  in  saving  the  lives  of  all.  As 
some  of  the  poor,  dripping  white  men  landed  near  the 
Christian  guide  who  had  refused  to  break  the  Sabbath,  he 
quietly  said  to  them,  "  If  you  will  make  another  boat  next 
year  and  will  send  for  me  I  will  safely  take  it  up  for  you 
any  day  but  the  Sabbath."  Then  turning  away  he  left 
them,  now  mortified  and  annoyed  that  they  had  not  respected 
his  feelings  and  waited  until  the  Sabbath  was  ended  and 
thus  have  had  the  benefit  of  his  knowledge  of  the  river. 
They  would  have  been  a  good  many  thousand  dollars  better 
off,  much  less  ruffled  in  spirit,  and  decidedly  drier  in  their 
persons. 

When  my  Christian  Indians  who  had  been  employed  for 
weeks  in  the  construction  of  this  steamer  returned  to  our 
mission  they  came  to  me,  and,  after  telling  me  of  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  boat,  said,  "Now  we  know  there  is  a  Great  Spirit 
who  can  punish  those  who  do  not  keep  his  day." 

While  studying  the  question  of  Sabbath  observance  and 
•doing  what  we  could  to  retain  it  in  its  sanctity  among  our 
people  we  were  more  and  more  impressed  with  the  fact  of 
its  value  to  man,  not  only  spiritually,  but  also  physically. 
The  following  fact  will  bear  us  out  in  this  assertion.  For 
nine  years  we  saw  men  who  rested  on  the  Sabbath  day 
do  better  work  in  less  time,  with  better  health,  than  those 


ANV  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  45 

who  kept  no  day  of  rest  but  toiled  on  continuously  without 
cessation. 

The  following  is  the  detailed  account  of  the  contest  be 
tween  the  rival  Sabbath-keeping  and  non-Sabbath-keeping 
brigades  which  has  enabled  me  to  make  the  above  strong 
assertion. 

Years  ago  all  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  supplies  for  the 
North-west  territories  were  shipped  in  London  in  their  own 
vessels  to  York  Factory,  on  the  west  coast  of  Hudson  Bay. 
From  this  port  they  were  taken  by  Indians  up  the  great 
rivers  into  the  interior  of  the  country  in  heavy  boats  made  for 
the  purpose.  These  boats,  which  will  carry  on  an  average  of 
about  four  tons  of  cargo,  are  strongly  made,  that  they  may 
not  only  stand  the  strain  in  the  frequent  rapids  of  the  rivers 
and  outride  the  storms  on  the  great  lakes,  but  also  endure  the 
rough  usage  of  being  dragged  overland  through  the  rough 
portages  which  have  to  be  made  around  the  falls  and  other 
obstructions  in  the  rivers.  So  wild  and  rough  are  some  parts 
of  the  country  that  as  many  as  seventy  portages  have  to  bo 
made  in  a  trip  of  four  or  five  hundred  miles.  The  packages 
of  goods  and  bales  of  furs  are  done  up  in  bundles  weighing 
from  sixty  to  a  hundred  pounds  each.  When  a  portage  has 
to  be  made  the  whole  cargo  of  the  boats  is  carried  on  the 
backs  of  the  Indian  boatmen,  supported  by  straps  from  their 
foreheads.  From  one  to  three  packnges  constitute  a  load. 
When  carrying  a  load  an  Indian  seldom  or  never  walks, 
but  swings  along  on  a  kind  of  a  jog-trot. 

So  vast  is  this  country  that  some  of  the  interior  posts  were 
two  thousand  miles  away  from  where  the  goods  were  landed 
on  the  coast.  The  result  was  that  on  account  of  the  difficul 
ties  in  the  way  of  getting  in  supplies  for  trade,  and  then  in 
taking  out  the  furs  to  the  home  market,  often  seven  years 
elapsed  from  the  time  the  goods  left  London  ere  the  furs 
obtained  for  them  reached  that  market.  Hundreds  of  Indians 
were  employed  every  summer  in  this  work  of  freighting  in 
goods  and  bringing  out  the  furs. 


46  STOHIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

The  Hudson  Bay  Company's  fort  at  Norway  House  was- 
a  great  depot  and  distributing  center  for  many  years.  Dur 
ing  a  few  weeks  in  our  short  and  brilliant  summers  it  was  a 
place  of  excitement  and  activity  owing  to  the  arrival  and 
departure  of  the  different  brigades,  as  the  collection  of  boats 
from  each  post  is  called. 

One  of  the  great  events  of  the  summer  was  the  departure 
of  the  different  brigades  of  boats  loaded  with  supplies  for 
the  posts  in  the  Athabasca  and  Mackenzie  River  districts. 
These  brigades  were  obtained  in  different  parts  of  the  coun 
try,  and  each  boat  was  manned  by  the  picked  men  of  the 
tribes,  as  this  trip  is  not  only  the  longest  but  the  hardest  in 
the  country.  Many  a  stalwart  man  broke  down  from  the 
hardships  of  that  slavish  work,  and  many  a  noble  life  was 
there  lost. 

I  have  seen  coal-heavers  in  Lancashire  and  in  other  parts 
of  the  world;  I  have  gone  down  in  some  of  the  deepest 
mines  of  earth,  and  have  there  watched  the  toilers  at  their 
task;  I  have  stood  on  the  massive  docks  at  London  and  Liv 
erpool,  amid  the  vessels  from  almost  every  land,  and  have 
there  watched  how  the  poor  fellows  wrought  at  their  tasks; 
I  have  looked  at  the  "navvies"  at  work  in  the  construction  of 
new  railroads  in  our  western  country;  I  have  been  out  with 
the  brave  fishermen  who  have  toiled  all  night  at  their  nets' 
amid  treacherous  breakers  and  dangerous  waves;  I  have  seen 
the  colored  sons  of  Africa  as  to  the  rhythm  of  some  weird 
melody  they  toiled  at  the  unloading  of  steam-boats  on  great 
western  rivers;  I  have  been  in  the  backwoods  of  Canada 
where  the  lumbermen  were  felling  great  trees  in  her  mag 
nificent  forests  and  cutting  them  up  for  the  lumber  markets 
of  the  world,  but  I  know  of  no  work  more  trying  or  severe 
than  that  of  portaging  cargoes  in  the  wild  North-west 
country,  and  I  know  of  no  laborers  who  could  surpass  or 
even  equal  the  Indians  at  this  exhausting  work.  Especially 
was  it  exciting  to  spectators  when  two  rival  brigades  reached 
a  portage  at  the  same  time  and  the  strife  was  to  see  which 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  47 

cuuld   get    their   cargoes   and  boats   across   in   the    shorter 
time. 

Once  when  taking  the  eloquent  missionary  secretary,  the 
late  Rev.  Lachlan  Taylor,  down  to  Oxford  Mission,  we  wit 
nessed  at  Robinson  Portage  one  of  these  contests  between  a 
Norway  House  and  Red  River  brigade.  Although  the  port 
age  is  several  miles  long,  yet  some  of  the  men,  carrying  three 
pieces,  would  run  from  end  to  end  without  once  stopping. 
The  doctor  became  intensely  excited,  and  among  other 
things  said  :  "  I  have  traveled  all  over  the  world,  and  have 
seen  men  at  work  every-where,  but  these  men  could  beat 
any  I  ever  saw,  not  even  excepting  the  famous  porters  at 
Constantinople." 

The  brigades  selected  for  this  long  trip  were  from  both 
pagan  and  Christian  sections  of  the  country.  From  our 
mission  a  strong  brigade  went  up  every  year.  It  was  ever 
to  me  an  interesting  sight  to  watch  these  scores  of  active 
men  as  they  made  their  final  preparations  and  then  started 
off  on  their  long,  adventurous  journey.  As  boat  after  boat 
was  rapidly  loaded  and  these  magnificent  specimens  of  phys 
ical  innnhood  took  their  places,  and  at  the  word  of  com 
mand  their  long,  heavy  oars  rose  and  fell  with  clock-like 
precision,  propelling  their  crafts  along  with  a  speed  that  was 
surprising,  I  could  not  help  but  think  of  the  times  of  long  ago 
when  propelled  by  no  other  power  the  ships  of  the  Phenicians, 
Carthaginians,  and  even  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  had 
met  in  battle  array  and  fought  for  the  mastery  of  the  seas. 

Although  the  brigades  with  their  valuable  cargoes  of  sup 
plies  started  together  from  Norway  House  for  the  Macken 
zie  River  and  Athabasca  districts,  I  noticed  each  year  that 
our  own  Indians  of  the  mission  were  the  first  to  return  with 
their  loads  of  furs.  On  talking  with  them  about  it  they  at 
once  and  unanimously  declared  that  it  was  because  they  re 
membered  the  /Sabbath  day  and  kept  it  holy  that  they  were  able 
to  make  the  trip  in  a  shorter  time  than  the  other  brigades 
that  had  no  Sabbath. 


48  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

With  great  pleasure  I  recall  the  following  account  of  one 
of  their  trips  as  told  me  one  fall  as  a  camp-fire  story  by  some 
of  the  stalwart  fellows  who  had  been  on  the  trip  themselves, 
Their  simple  story  is  another  argument  for  the  Sabbath  as  a 
day  of  rest. 

"You  remember,  missionary,"  said  the  narrator,  "as  you 
were  there  at  the  fort  to  see  us  off,  how  all  the  brigades  left 
together.  That  was  on  Wednesday.  We  went  down  Sea 
River  to  Lake  Winnipeg  and  then  turned  to  the  west  and 
crossed  over  to  the  mouth  of  the  Saskatchewan  River.  Up 
that  great  river  we  went  until  we  turned  up  north  toward 
the  height  of  land.  We  kept  well  together  for  the  first  few 
days,  and  camped  not  far  from  each  other  the  first  Saturday 
night.  As  we  from  the  Christian  mission  did  not  intend  to 
travel  the  next  day  we  selected  as  safe  and  pleasant  a  spot  as 
we  could  find  and  made  our  boat's  cargo  secure  from  rain  or 
storm.  We  gathered  sufficient  wood  for  our  Sabbath  fires, 
and  after  supper  and  prayers  lay  down  to  sleep.  The  next 
morning  the  other  brigades  went  on  and  left  us.  We  put  on 
our  Sunday  clothes,  which  we  always  carried  with  us,  and 
spent  the  Sabbath  as  nearly  as  possible  as  we  would  have 
spent  it  if  we  had  been  at  home  at  our  Christian  village. 
We  held  two  services  during  the  day,  for  you  know  there  are 
now  many  of  our  people  who  can  lead  us  in  these  meetings. 
We  had  our  Bibles  and  hymn-books  with  us.  We  sano-  and 

t!  O 

had  prayers,  and  read  from  the  good  book  and  talked  of  its 
truths.  We  had  a  good  rest  between  the  services.  Then 
after  supper  and  prayers  we  were  soon  asleep  again.  Mon 
day  morning  we  were  up  very  early,  for  you  know  that 
daylight  comes  soon  in  summer  in  this  land.  Soon  were 
oiir  kettles  boiled  and  prayers  over,  and  we  were  off.  Re 
freshed  by  our  Sabbath's  rest,  we  bent  to  our  oars  and  made 
our  boats  spin  along  at  a  great  rate.  In  the  portages  we  could 
work  the  harder  and  get  over  them  the  more  quickly  because 
of  the  rest.  On  we  pushed  day  after  day.  We  passed  the 
different  camping-places  of  the  brigades  ahead  of  us,  for  there 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  49 

is  only  the  one  route.  When  we  reached  those  where  the 
ashes  were  still  warm,  or  there  was  a  log  still  burning,  we  knew 
that  they  were  now  not  very  far  ahead  of  us.  We  caught 
up  to  them  this  year  Thursday  afternoon,  and  then  there  was 
great  excitement,-  as  we  tried  to  get  ahead  of  them.  They 
kept  us  back  in  the  portage  into  which  they  had  first  entered, 
but  when  afterward  we  got  out  into  the  river  again,  where 
it  was  a  trial  at  the  oars*  we  managed  to  get  in  the  lead, 
and  camped  that  night  as  the  head  brigade.  Very  early 
were  we  up  and  off  the  next  morning,  and  thus  we  did  not  let 
them  pass  us  before  the  next  Sabbath  came.  On  that  day 
we  rested  as  usual.  The  other  brigades  passed  us  on  Sab 
bath  afternoon  and  pushed  on  a  few  miles  further,  and  there 
camped. 

"We  were  up  very  early  on  Monday  morning,  and  came  up 
to  the  others  while  they  were  at  breakfast.  With  a  cheer 
we  rowed  by,  and  they  did  not  catch  up  to  us  again.  We 
pushed  on  week  after  week  until  we  reached  the  post  where  we 
found  the  brigades  that  had  come  down  from  the  Mackenzie 
River  district  waiting  for  us  with  a  cargo  of  furs.  We  quickly 
exchanged  loads  with  them  and  commenced  our  return  jour 
ney.  We  were  three  days  down  on  our  way  home  when  we 
met  the  other  brigades  going  up.  We  rested  every  Sabbath 
day  during  the  whole  trip  of  about  two  months,  and  yet 
were  home  about  a  week  before  the  Indians  returned  who 
kept  no  Sabbath  but  pushed  on  every  day." 

As  I  looked  upon  the  bronzed  yet  healthy  faces,  and  con 
trasted  them  in  their  manly  vigor  with  some  worn-out,  spirit 
less  men  in  the  other  boats,  as  their  missionary  I  rejoiced  at 
their  story.  Deeply  interested  in  the  question,  I  watched, 
and  as  well  as  I  could  I  studied  it  for  a  number  of  years  on 
these  severe  testing  grounds.  Physically  our  Indians  were 
no  larger  and  apparently  no  stronger  than  were  those  of 
other  places,  and  yet  here  is  the  fact,  witnessed  and  com 
mented  upon  by  others  as  well  as  myself,  that  the  men 
who  kept  the  Sabbath  did  their  work  in  less  time  and 


50  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

returned  in  much  better  health  than  those  who  knew  no  day 
of  rest. 

Gladly  then  have  I  recorded  this  so  fully,  as  another  of 
the  unanswerable  arguments  of  facts,  that  the  Sabbath  is  not 
only  a  blessing  to  man  spiritually,  but  that  in  its  observance 
lie  is  so  aided  physically,  that  he  can  do  more  work  and  keep 
in  better  health  than  those  who  know  not  of  it. 


A  AY;  NOUTHERX  CAMP-FIRES.  51 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  HALF-BREEDS  OF  MANITOBA — SCOTCH  HALF-BREEDS LORD 

SELKIRK REV.  MR.  BLACK DONALD  BANNERMAN "  ONLY 

PEMMICAN" EARLY  STORMY  TIMES THE    INDIAN  RAID — 

SINGULAR  STRATAGEM — CAUGHT  IN  THE  LOG RAPID  PROG 
RESS  OF  THIS  THRIFTY  PEOPLE FRENCH  HALF-BREEDS 

RIEL    REBELLION ANCESTRY CHARACTERISTICS POOR 

FARMERS SPLENDID  HUNTERS LONG  DISCONTENTED- 
RED  RIVER  CARTS THE  GREAT  BUFFALO  HUNT ANNIHI 
LATION  OF  THE  BUFFALO WONDROUS  CHANGES  WROUGHT 

BY   CIVILIZATION DR.  SUTHERLAND'S  ELOQUENT  WORDS 


THE  first  indications  we  had  that  we  were  again  reaching 
the  abodes  of  civilized  beings,  after  we  had  left  the  front 
ier  settlements  of  Dakota  and  Minnesota,  in  1868,  were  the 
humble  log-cabins  of  the  Red  River  French  half-breeds. 
Their  settlements  extended  along  on  both  banks  of  the  Red 
River,  from  Pembina  up  to  the  old  massive  Fort  Garry 
of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  Their  number  was  variously 
estimated  at  from  six  to  eleven  thousand. 

The  rise  of  this  semi-civilized  half-breed  colony  in  the  heart 
of  the  American  continent  is  one  of  the  many  interesting 
phenomena  similar  to  other  strange  ethnological  experiments 
which  have  been  in  progress  in  this  New  World  since  its  dis 
covery. 

In  addition  to  this  colony  of  French  halt-breeds  we  also 
passed  through  a  large  and  flourishing  settlement  of  Scotch 
half-breeds.  Their  location  was  farther  north  on  the  Red 
River,  and  was  known  as  the  Selkirk  Settlement.  This  colony 
was  begun  by  Lord  Selkirk,  a  Scottish  nobleman,  early  in  this 
century.  From  the  Orkney  Islands  and  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland  the  principal  number  of  his  colonists  came.  They 
were  an  industrious,  hardy  lot  of  people,  and,  as  has  gener- 


,52  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

ally  been  the  case  at  each  stage  of  colonization  or  of  pioneer 
ing  on  this  continent,  but  few  of  them  took  with  them  wives 
or  daughters,  and  so,  like  others,  when  they  had  settled  on  a 
home  amid  the  prairie  wilds  of  that  northern  river,  they 
took  to  themselves  wives  from  the  native  tribes  with  whom 
they  formed  treaties  of  friendship.  Those  living  there  to 
day  are  the  third  or  fourth  generation  from  these  marriages, 
and  they  are  among  the  best  people  in  that  interesting  and 
rapidly  increasing  country. 

Although  during  the  three  quarters  of  a  century  there  was 
a  large  infusion  of  Indian  blood  among  these  Scotch  half- 
breeds,  yet  they  were  ever  a  thoroughly  civilized  people,  re 
taining  all  the  best  characteristics  of  old  Scotia.  They  are 
very  industrious  and  thrifty,  and  are  the  contented  owners 
of  large  farms  and  comfortable  homes.  It  was,  indeed,  a 
very  great  surprise  to  us  when,  years  ago,  we  penetrated  into 
that  then  almost  unknown  land,  after  passing  for  many  days 
through  the  lands  of  roving  wild  Indians,  and  imagining  our 
selves  hundreds  of  miles  from  civilization,  to  enter  into  this 
Selkirk  Settlement  and  find  here,  in  the  wilderness,  a  counter 
part  of  a  Highland  Scottish  parish,  with  a  church  which  was 
well  attended  by  a  devout,  Sabbath-keeping  people.  The 
illusion  seemed  the  more  perfect  by  our  frequently  hearing 
the  droning  of  the  bag-pipes  and  several  of  the  half-breeds 
fluently  talking  Gaelic.  Scottish  thrift,  rather  than  Indian 
shiftlessness,  had  been  paramount  among  them,  and  as  the 
result  many  of  them  are  the  possessors  of  considerable 
wealth. 

We  were  very  much  pleased  to  meet  with  their  worthy 
minister,  Rev.  Mr.  Black.  He  was  greatly  beloved  and 
respected  by  his  people.  He  was  a  thorough  Scotchman 
still  in  all  his  sturdy  independent  ways,  yet  withal  was  full  of 
quaint  humor  and  loved  a  pleasant  joke  and  a  happy  repartee. 
The  Indian  blood  in  the  veins  of  his  excellent  wife  did  not 
make  her  the  less  a  lady  of  kindly  heart  and  noble  life.  Here 
in  this  isolated  parish  they  had  devoted  their  lives  to  the 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  53 

spiritual  upbuilding  of  this  interesting  people,  whose  origin 
and  history  have  in  them  so  much  that  is  romantic  and  unique. 

Human  nature  is  very  much  alike  the  wide  world  over. 
This  good  Mr.  Black  had  found  out  as  regards  his  own  iso 
lated  flock.  While  happily  exempt  from  some  of  the  peculiar 
evils  incident  to  more  populous  regions,  yet  there  were  others 
which  required  constant  watchfulness  on  his  part  to  keep  in 
check.  Hence  he  had  his  clouds  as  well  as  sunshine,  his 
anxieties  as  well  as  rejoicings. 

"  Why,  what  do  you  think  ?"  said  he,  one  day  to  some  of 
us  when  we  had  been  conversing  on  the  subject  of  the  trials 
and  discouragements  of  ministerial  and  missionary  life.  "  Now 
there  are  my  people  down  in  the  settlement.  Gude  people 
they  are  in  mony  respects,  yet  last  Sabbath  morning,  while  I 
was  preaching  to  them  the  sober  truths  of  the  Gospel,  they 
dinna  seem  to  try  to  keep  awake,  but  went  to  sleep  all  around 
me,  in  spite  of  my  most  earnest  efforts.  The  only  encourag 
ing  thing  about  it  was  that  some  of  them  nodded  assent  to  my 
remarks.  So  I  had  to  stop  in  my  discourse  to  admonish  them. 
I  told  them  that  if  they  did  not  arouse  themselves  and  hear 
me  out  to  the  end  I  would  keep  them  in  until  four  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon.  That  aroused  them,"  said  the  good  old  man, 
with  a  merry  twinkle  in  his  kindly  eye,  "  and  so  I  was  enabled 
to  finish  my  sermon  to  a  wide-awake  congregation." 

From  one  of  these  wealthy  Scottish  half-breeds,  a  Mr.  Don 
ald  Bannerman,  wre  purchased  a  keg  of  excellent  butter. 
About  this  Mr.  Bannerman  his  pastor,  Mr.  Black,  told  us  a 
story  that  had  much  amused  him,  and  for  a  time  upset  the 
gravity  and  marred  the  solemnity  of  one  of  his  week-evening 
prayer-meetings. 

It  seems  this  Mr.  Bannerman  was  in  the  habit  of  taking 
contracts  from  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  for  freighting 
large  quantities  of  their  valuable  furs  from  Fort  Garry  down 
to  York  Factory,  on  Hudson  Bay,  for  shipment  thence  to 
England.  Then  he  would  bring  up  return  cargoes  of  goods 
or  supplies  for  the  next  year's  trading  operations  of  tho 
5 


54  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

company  with  the  Indians  and  half-breeds.  To  carry  out  his 
contract  he  used  to-  hire  hundreds  of  Indians  and  half-breeds 
as  boatmen,  or  "  trippers,"  as  they  are  generally  called.  As 
York  Factoiy  is  at  least  eight  hundred  miles  from  Fort 
Garry,  and  the  river  route  part  is  full  of  "  portages,"  the 
greater  part  of  the  summer  would  be  required  for  a  single 
trip. 

The  building  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  which  now 
stretches  its  long  lines  of  glittering  steel  rails  through  those 
wild,  romantic  mountainous  regions  of  the  country,  as  well 
as  across  the  almost  boundless  prairies  of  that  goodly  land, 
lias  about  done  away  with  the  old  primitive  methods  of 
tripping  except  in  the  remote  northern  regions,  where  the 
solitudes  are  as  yet  untouched  by  civilization.  The  buffalo 
from  the  prairies  having  disappeared,  the  far-famed  pemmi- 
can  described  elsewhere  has  also  become  a  thing  of  the 
past.  But  in  the  time  when  Mr.  Bannerman  commanded 
his  brigades  it  was  the  principal,  and,  at  times,  the  only,  arti 
cle  of  food.  On  it,  with  plenty  of  good  black  tea,  I  have 
lived  well  for  weeks. 

One  summer,  when  Mr.  Bannerman  was  going  down  to 
York  Factory,  he  very  largely  strengthened  his  brigade  at 
Norway  House  by  hiring  a  number  of  the  Christian  Indians 
from  the  Methodist  mission  there.  These  stalwart  men  were 
every-day  Christians,  and  began  and  closed  every  day  with 
prayers. 

Mr.  Bannerman,  himself  a  worthy  communicant  in  Mr. 
Black's  church,  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  consistent 
piety  of  these  converted  Indians,  as  well  as  very  thoroughly 
•satisfied  with  the  thorough  way  in  which  they  did  the  work 
for  which  he  had  engaged  them.  So  he  and  some  of  his  good 
people  gladly  joined  in  with  the  Indians  at  morning  nnd 
evening  prayers.  Although  he  was  naturally  a  timid  man 
and  always  refused  to  take  any  active  part  in  religious 
services,  such  as  praying  in  public  in  his  own  church  in  the 
.Red  River  Settlement,  yet  here,  as  they  journeyed  along 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  55 

•down  the  wild  river  and  across  the  picturesque  lakes,  he 
several  times,  at  the  request  of  the  Indians,  conducted  the 
services  and  led  in  prayer. 

When  he  returned  home  with  his  brigade  his  minister, 
Mr.  Black,  wras  delighted  to  hear  that  this  worthy  member 
of  his  church  had  been  so  "  exercising  his  gifts,"  and  was 
anxious  to  have  him  continue  in  this  good  way,  and  so  at  the 
next  prayer-meeting  at  which  Mr.  Bannerman  wras  present, 
when  a  suitable  time  came,  Mr.  Black  said,  "Will  Brother 
Bannerman  please  lead  us  in  prayer  ?" 

To,  this  request  there  came  the  quick  response,  "  I  canna 
•do  it." 

"  Why,  Brother  Bannerman,  you  prayed  with  the  Chris 
tian  Indians,  and  we  were  delighted  to  hear  of  it.  Now  we 

'  O 

want  you  to  pray  with  us  in  our  own  church." 

Still  he  would  not  comply  with  his  pastor's  request,  but 
-said  decidedly,  "  I  canna  do  it ;  I  canna  pray  in  English." 

Mr.  Black,  with  true  Presbyterian  perseverance,  was  loath 
to  give  him  up,  and  so  he  said,  "  Well,  brother,  pray  in  Gae 
lic  or  Indian  if  you  cannot  in  English." 

"  I  canna  do  it,"  wras  the  answer  still. 

A  little  annoyed  at  the  man's  timidity  or  stubbornness, 
and  wishing  to  find  out  in  what  language  he  had  prayed 
•when  among  his  boatmen,  Mr.  Black  said,  "  Well,  what  did 
you  use  when  among  the  Indians  ?  " 

Quick  as  a  flash  came  the  answer,  "  Only  pemmican  !  " 

Of  course  the  minister  and  people  were  convulsed  with 
laughter,  and  the  service  soon  closed. 

These  Scotch  half-breeds,  now  so  comfortably  settled, 
and,  as  a  general  thing,  in  good  circumstances,  have  had 
their  times  that  tried  men's  souls  and  showed  the  stuff  of 
which  they  were  made.  Extermination,  at  one  period  of 
their  history,  seemed  to  be  their  doom,  and  during  the  hos 
tilities  between  the  great  rival  fur  companies  they  had  to 
put  up  with  much  persecution. 

During  those  exciting  times  when  the  tribes  were  up,  war- 


56  STOUIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

parties  of  hostile  Indians  hovered  in  their  vicinity,  ready  to 
swoop  down  upon  them  if  they  thought  they  could  be  caught 
off  their  guard.  The  warlike  Sioux,  hunting  for  scalps, 
sometimes  came  up  from  his  Dakota  prairies  filled  with  his 
horrid  designs.  But  it  more  frequently  happened  that  his 
body,  pierced  by  bullets,  became  the  prey  of  wolves  than 
that  he  succeeded  in  his  purposes.  In  spite  of  the  greatest 
vigilance  and  care  occasionally  lives  would  be  sacrificed  in 
those  stormy  times.  Sometimes  one  of  the  adventurous 
hunters,  in  his  excitement,  would  follow  too  far  on  the  track 
of  a  wounded  deer,  and  perhaps  when,  as  he  fondly  hoped, 
he  was  near  success,  as  he  entered  the  dense  forests  which 
then  fringed  these  western  rivers,  he  would  be  struck  down 
by  the  gleaming  tomahawk  of  the  blood-thirsty  villain  who 
had  secreted  himself  in  ambush  until  he  could  in  so  cowardly 
a  way  deal  the  treacherous  blow. 

Still,  on  the  whole,  considering  their  position,  so  early  in 
the  century,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  northern  Indian  coun 
try,  they  had  but  little  to  complain  of  as  regards  the  gen 
eral  conduct  of  the  Indians.  The  occasiowal  lives  lost  were 
mostly  in  retaliation  for  some  wrongs  or  cruelties  inflicted  upon 
the  Indians  by  whites  someichere.  The  Indian  law  of  revenge 
taught  the  survivors  of  those  shot  down  by  whites  that  if 
they  could  not  kill  those  from  whom  they  had  suffered  di 
rectly  they  were  expected  to  kill  wherever  they  had  a  chance. 
Thus  it  sometimes  happened  there,  as  it  has  in  other  lands 
and  other  ages,  the  innocent  have  suffered  for  the  guilty. 

Peace  and  good-will  generally  abounded.  The  Indians 
were  early  taught  some  lessons  they  never  forgot  of  the  cour 
age  and  bravery  of  these  white  people  from  over  the  sea 
who  had  come  to  live  among  them.  Then  they  had  nothing 
to  complain  of  in  reference  to  broken  treaties.  Every  treaty 
these  white  men  had  made  they  had  honorably  kept,  and 
now,  having  ample  farms  in  that  beautiful  Settlement,  they 
did  not  covet  the  broad  prairies  or  forest  regions  of  the  In 
dian  and  try  to  legislate  him  out  of  existence.  However, 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  57 

they  had  their  baptism  of  blood  as  a  community,  and  many 
of  them  personally  could  tell  strange  tales  of  marvelous 
escapes. 

An  old  half-breed  told  me  the  following  story  as  really 
having  happened  to  his  father.  I  had  seen  the  story  in  print 
years  before,  and,  as  I  had  associated  it  with  another  place, 
I  was  at  first  inclined  to  question  his  veracity.  However,  he 
stoutly  contended  that  he  could  not  be  mistaken,  and  others 
afterward  stated  to  me  that,  although  the  incident  had 
occurred  many  years  ago,  all  the  old  men  affirmed  that  my 
narrator's  father  was  really  the  hero  of  the  tale. 

It  seems  that  during  the  stormy  times  in  the  early  forma 
tion  of  the  Settlement  some  of  the  Indian  tribes  became  un 
easy  and  excited  about  the  coming  into  the  country  of  these 
hundreds  of  white  settlers.  Not  knowing  their  motives  in 
Doming,  and  being  instigated  and  poisoned  in  their  minds  by 
gome  miserable  fur-traders  and  others  who  were  jealous  of 
the  formation  of  the  Settlement,  the  Indians  allowed  war- 
parties  to  go  out  and  harass  the  settlers.  Among  them  was 
a  party  of  half  a  dozen  who  skulked  along  among  the  tim 
bers  of  Red  River,  waiting  in  their  cowardly  way  for  an 
opportunity  to  make  an  attack. 

The  father  of  my  informant,  being  anxious  to  secure  rails 
with  which  to  fence  in  a  little  tield  of  grain  which  he  had 
•sowed,  took  his  ax,  maul,  and  iron  wedge,  and  went  down 
to  the  woods  to  try  his  hand  as  a  rail-splitter.  He  had  al 
ready,  before  this  day,  felled  a  large  elm-tree  and  cut  up  its 
trunk  into  logs  twelve  feet  long.  He  was  getting  on  well 
with  his  work,  for  he  was  a  strong,  vigorous  man.  Several 
of  the  smaller  logs  had  been  split  up,  and  he  was  now  vigor 
ously  driving  the  iron  wedge  into  the  largest  one,  when  he 
was  startled  by  the  war-whoop  of  the  Indians  as  they  sprang 
at  him  from  their  ambush.  Holding  on  to  his  heavy  maul, 
he  only  had  time  to  spring  upon  the  prostrate  log  ere  he  was 
surrounded  by  them.  Anxious  to  capture  him  alive  that  he 
might  be  reserved  for  ransom  or  the  torture,  rather  than  kill 


oS  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

him  at  once,  they  hesitated  to  shoot  their  arrows  or  close- 
upon  him  with  their  tomahawks  or  knives.  So}  pretending 
to  be  friends,  and  saying,  "How!  How!"  they  wanted  to- 
shake  hands ;  but  the  threatening  way  in  which  that  heavy 
maul  was  lifted  warned  them  to  keep  their  distance.  Among 
them  was  one  villain  who  understood  a  little  English,  and 
so,  after  the  white  man  found  out  that  they  wanted  him  to 
go  with  them,  although  well  knowing  their  horrid  designs, 
lie,  seeing  nothing  else  but  death  if  he  refused,  at  length 
very  cheerfully  consented  on  condition  that  they  would  help 
him  finish  splitting  that  log,  that  his  family  might  have  the 
rails  for  the  fence.  Strange  to  say,  to  this  they  consented. 
So,  still  retaining  his  position  of  advantage  upon  the  log,. 
he  showed  them  where  the  large  crack  was  which  he  had  al 
ready  made  by  driving  in  the  iron  wedge  before  they  came, 
lie  directed  them  to  go  three  on  each  side  of  the  log,  and, 
putting  their  long  thin  hands  into  the  great  crack,  to  pull  as- 
hard  as  they  could,  while  he  with  the  maul  would  drive  in 
the  wedge  and  the  work  would  soon  be  done.  Xo  sooner 
said  than  done.  Sure  of  their  victim,  they  were  ready  for  a 
little  sport,  and  so  they  took  the  assigned  positions  and 
pulled  most  vigorously.  To  throw  them  off  their  guard  the 
white  man  -struck  the  wedge  a  vigorous  blow  or  two,  and 
thus  perceptibly  widened  the  crack.  Then,  as  his  quick  eye 
saw  that  every  hand  was  well  in  the  crack,  he  gave  his 
wedge  a  side  blow  so  vigorous  that  it  instantly  flew  out  of 
its  position,  and  six  simultaneous  yells,  from  so  many  impris 
oned  and  most  thoroughly  captured  Indians,  told  of  the  suc 
cess  of  his  little  scheme.  Those  Indian  warriors  did  not 
again  return  to  disturb  that  colony. 

After  sharing  in  the  stirring  events  and  vicissitudes  inev 
itably  incident  to  Western  border  life,  these  regions  are  now 
largely  partaking  of  the  advantages  of  the  older  settled 
communities.  Years  ago  many  of  their  promising  young 
men,  after  exhausting  the  educational  advantages  of  their 
home  schools,  went  out  to  other  lands  and  in  first-class  col- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  59 

leges  or  universities  have  creditably  held  their  own  against  all 
competitors.  They  are  now  to  be  found  in  many  places  of 
honor  and  responsibility  in  the  growing  provinces  of  the 
West,  and  also  in  the  Dominion  government  employ.  To 
the  casual  observer  there  is  no  peculiar  trait  or  look  to  dis 
tinguish  them  from  other  people.  Intellectually  and  physic 
ally  they  are  the  peers  of  the  noblest  of  the  land. 

"Westward  the  course  of  empire  takes  its  way." 

And  so,  as  the  waves  of  our  Anglo-Saxon  civilization  roll 
on  and  on  farther  west,  Time  works  his  marvelous  changes 
for  weal  or  woe.  With  the  evils  of  this  busy  age  come  the 
blessings.  Very  evidently  has  it  been  so  here.  The  long, 
straggling  settlement  of  cabins  and  log-houses,  surrounded  by 
partially  cultivated  lields,  has  been  transformed  into  a  land 
of  beautiful  rural  homes  and  magnificent  farms.  At  one  end 
of  this  little  colony  not  more  than  a  generation  ago  there 
stood,  almost  solitary  and  alone,  the  trading-post  of  Fort 
Garry.  To  it,  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  there  came  to 
trade  the  wild  Indians,  in  single  file,  along  the  narrow  trail. 
The  half-breed  settlers,  often  with  their  families  crowded 
into  their  rude,  primitive  carts,  combining  business  with 
pleasure,  appeared  at  its  counter  to  exchange  some  of  the 
produce  of  their  fields  for  different  things  essential  to  supply 
their  simple  wants.  Flowers  bloomed  every-where  in  won 
drous  beauty,  and  the  luxuriant  prairie  grasses,  several  feet 
high,  as  the  gentle  breezes  swept  over  them,  rose  and  fell  like 
mimic  waves  far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 

Now,  more  than  the  touch  of  the  enchanter  has  been  here. 
The  trail  alone:  the  bank  of  Red  River  has  become  the  main 

O 

street  of  a  flourishing  city,  the  capital  of  a  great  province, 
the  home  of  many  thousands  of  people,  who  are  enthused 
with  the  possibilities  of  the  future  of  their  country.  To  pick 
out  of  that  energetic  mass  of  humanity  those  with  Indian 
blood  in  their  veins  is  an  utter  impossibility.  The  intermixture 
of  the  races,  however,  is  there,  and  doubtless  in  sufficient 


60  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

amount  to  aid  in  the  development  of  characteristics  which,  it 
is  to  be  hoped,  will  not  be  defects,  but  blessings,  in  the  com- 
incr  generations. 

O     ^? 

The  news  of  the  Kiel  Rebellion,  a  few  years  ago,  suddenly 
brought  into  prominence  the  fact  that  there  existed  in  the 
heart  of  this  American  continent  a  proud,  high-spirited 
people  of  mixed  French  and  Indian  origin.  Of  that  war  and 
its  causes  I  am  not  now  going  to  write.  However,  it  was 
very  evident  that  "  some  one  had  blundered."  Happily 
those  days  are  over.  Treaty  rights  have  been  respected, 
and  wisdom  is  being  learned  by  experience,  although 
the  Metis  was  at  first  treated  with  scant  courtesy  by  the 
never  overpolite  incrowding  English-speaking  immigrant, 
who  looked  upon  his  poor  attempts  at  farming  with  disgust, 
and  listened  to  his  patois  with  contempt.  Then  his  moc- 
casined  feet  and  brilliant-colored  scarf -belt,  beaded  cap,  fire- 
bag  and  leggins,  and  distinct  Indian  face  seemed  to  so  ally 
him  to  the  native  tribes  that  too  many  never  for  a  moment 
thought  he  could  have  any  grievances  to  be  redressed.  They 
little  dreamed  of  the  blood  that  flowed  in  his  veins.  The 
two  "  uprisings  "  and  the  difficulty  experienced  in  quieting 
these  fiery  spirits  will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 

Whatever  may  be  the  cause,  the  French  half-breeds  have 
retained  in  their  looks  and  also  in  their  habits  much  mere 
of  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  their  Indian  ancestry 
than  the  Scotch  half-breeds.  Many  of  these  French  half- 
breeds  are  descendants  of  the  early  employees  of  the  Hud 
son  Bay  and  North-west  fur  companies.  These  hardy 
voyagers  and  trappers  were  obtained  at  the  French  settle 
ments  in  Lower  Canada.  Many  of  them  have  some  of  the 
most  aristocratic  names  of  France,  and  profess  to  have  in 
their  veins  some  of  the  best  blood  of  some  of  the  noblest 
families  of  that  old  historic  country.  As  a  natural  result 
not  a  few  of  them  inherited  both  the  traditions  and  feel 
ings  of  the  past;  for  were  they  not  the  descendants  of 
those  adventurous  warriors  who,  long  years  ago,  had  left 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  61 

ineir  native  land  and,  under  the  guidance  of  such  men  as  La 
Salle,  Champlain,  De  Tracey,  and  Frontenac,  had  come  to 
carve  out  their  fortunes  here  in  the  New  World?  They 
well  knew  that  there  was  a  time  when  their  French  ancestors 
were  rulers  from  Quebec  to  the  Mississippi.  Some  of  their 
forefathers,  humiliated  by  the  English  victory  on  the  Plains 
of  Abraham  and  the  subsequent  surrender  of  Quebec  and 
then  of  the  whole  of  Canada,  had  hurried  away  into  the  vast 
wilderness,  and  there,  amid  the  excitement  of  almost  savage 
life,  had  kept  alive  in  the  hearts  and  memories  of  their  chil 
dren  and  grandchildren,  as  the  years  rolled  by,  the  story  of 
their  humiliation  and  hatred  of  that  race  which  had  made  the 
fleur-de-lis  of  France  go  down  before  the  red  cross  of  En 
gland.  With  such  antecedents  it  is  no  wonder  that  these 
half-breeds  were  ever  vastly  superior  to  the  Indian  tribes 
around  them,  with  whom  they  had  become  so  allied  by 
marriage.  The  word  "  Metis  "  is  the  one  used  by  themselves 
to  designate  the  children  of  these  peculiar  marriages.  The 
word,  which  means  "mixed,"  is  much  more  accurate  than 
"  half-breed,"  now  that  the  European  and  the  Indian  blood  is 
mixed  in  every  degree.  These  Metis  are  physically  superior 
to  their  Indian  and  French  ancestors,  and  from  personal  ob 
servation  I  can  indorse  what  Mr.  Dawsoii  of  the  Red  River 
exploring  expedition  has  said  when  he  writes  of  them  as 
follows:  "I  know  from  my  own  observation  that  the  French 
half-breeds  at  Red  River  are  a  gigantic  race  as  compared 
with  the  French  Canadians  of  Lower  Canada."  Although 
having  in  their  veins  so  much  Indian  blood,  they  can  hardly 
be  regarded  as  approximating  to  the  wild  nomadic  Indian 
tribes.  Although  not  at  all  equal  to  the  Selkirk  settlers  as 
farmers,  yet  they  have  their  own  large  farms,  and  work  them 
very  much  as  do  the  habitants  of  the  Province  of  Quebec. 
They  adhere  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  They  are  well 
supplied  with  priests  under  the  guidance  of  the  venerable 
Archbishop  Tache,  a  gentleman  who  has  plnyed  a  very 
prominent  part  in  that  young  country's  history. 


62  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

For  many  years  the  half-breeds  were  at  open  war  with  the 
Sioux  and  other  Indian  tribes,  and  frequently  imitated  their 
opponents  in  the  methods  of  carrying  on  the  contest.  But 
they  ever  manifested  their  superiority,  and  displayed  a  disci 
pline,  courage,  and  self-reliance  that  made  them  such  victors 
in  every  conflict  that  it  has  become  a  habit  with  them  to 
look  with  contempt  upon  their  Indian  foes.  And  yet,  while 
from  the  beginning  the  Metis,  by  their  superior  discipline 
and  force  of  character,  have  ever  been  able  to  dominate  the 
red  men,  they  have  never  had  any  ambitious  designs  to  con 
quer  them.  They  always  preferred  to  live  in  peace  and  har 
mony  with  them;  while  at  the  same  time  they  were  prompt, 
when  necessary,  on  account  of  some  murderous  or  thievish 
raids,  to  teach  them  wholesome  lessons  of  their  power  to  pun 
ish.  To  the  credit  of  the  Metis  it  can  be  said  that  they  in 
Jill  their  century's  existence  were  never  known  to  indulge 
in  unprovoked  or  aggressive  war.  Their  Indian  Avars  were 
only  those  of  self-defense  or  for  the  protection  of  their 
rights  of  property,  and  they  gave  proofs  of  some  infusion 
of  civilization  into  their  methods  of  war,  in  that  they  never 
scalped  or  mutilated  the  dead  or  tortured  their  prisoners. 
Victorious  in  every  conflict,  and  then  magnanimous  to  their 
foes,  they  extorted  from  them  their  respect  as  well  as  their 
fear. 

Under  the  despotism  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which 
kept  the  whole  country  subservient  to  its  interests  as  solely  a 
fur-producing  region,  all  extensive  efforts  to  develop  the 
agricultural  resources  of  the  land  were  discouraged.  Only 
what  could  be  absorbed  in  the  country,  in  the  prosecution  of 
the  fur  trade,  wras  raised,  as  there  were  no  markets  for  any  sur 
plus.  Under  this  system  many  chafed,  and  as  a  natural  result 
there  was  an  abolition  of  the  monopoly  of  the  company,  and 
freedom  of  trade  was  accorded  to  all.  Long  trains  of  Red 
1  liver  carts,  loaded  with  the*  produce  of  the  country,  wended 
their  way  to  St.  Paul's,  although  it  was  many  days'  journey. 
Very  picturesque  looked  these  long  lines  of  adventurous 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  63 

traders  as  they  entered  into  the  then  flourishing  little  city. 
Their  carts  were  manufactured  by  themselves,  and  had  not  in 
their  construction  a  single  particle  of  iron.  Then,  in  addition 
to  their  primitive  appearance,  as  they  were  never  oiled  or 
greased,  the  discordant  music  made  by  them  attracted  a  good 
deal  of  attention  and  caused  no  little  amazement  to  the  wide 
awake  citizens.  Each  cart  was  drawn  by  one  ox  that  was 
harnessed  up  like  a  horse  and  placed  between  the  two  shafts. 


THE  OLD  RED  RIVER  CART. 


The  almost  gigantic  half-breeds,  dressed  in  picturesque 
tanned  deerskin  suits,  and  bronzed  by  the  wind  and  sun  of 
the  long  prairie  trip  of  many  hundreds  of  miles,  were  shrewd 
traders  and  quick  to  make  as  profitable  bargains  as  possible. 
The  result  was  that  when,  after  a  good  deal  of  excitement, 
the  Dominion  government  of  Canada  assumed  authority  of 
that  North-west  country  in  1870  it  found  a  people,  although 


64  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

living  so  remote  from  civilization,  in  comfortable  circum 
stances  and  in  possession  of  every  thing  they  needed  for  the 
requirements  of  their  simple  habits. 

In  years  gone  by  the  great  annual  event  in  the  life  of  the 
Metis  was  the  grand  buffalo  hunt.  It  occurred  toward  the 
end  of  summer,  after  the  crops  had  been  harvested  and  there 
was  but  little  work  to  do  on  the  farm.  All  is  excitement 
among  them,  and  nothing  is  heard  but  the  din  of  prepara 
tion.  Old  men  rehearse  their  past  triumphs  and  young 
men  boast  of  what  they  intend  to  do.  Women  and  chil 
dren  are  huddled  into  the  capacious  carts,  while  the  men 
mount  on  their  well-trained  horses,  which  are  justly  called 
"  buffalo  runners."  In  semi-military  array  the  long  caval 
cade,  numbering  hundreds  of  persons,  sets  out  for  those  dis 
tant  regions  where  the  scouts  report  the  buffaloes  are  feeding. 
Every  year,  since  the  waves  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  civilization 
crossed  the  Mississippi,  these  Metis  hunters  had  to  go  farther 
west  in  order  to  find  the  game. 

I  have  picked  up  the  skulls  and  bones  of  the  buffaloes  on 
the  banks  of  the  Red  and  Assiniboine  Rivers,  but  long  years 
have  now  passed  since  they  quenched  their  thirst  in  those 
streams.  Hunted  and  slaughtered  incessantly  by  Indian, 
Metis,  and  white  man,  they  were  driven  backward  and  west 
ward  until  in  the  shadows  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  the 
last  herds  of  these  noble  and  valuable  animals  have  been 
ruthlessly  destroyed.  It  does  seem  a  pity  that  the  strong 
arms  of  the  United  States  or  Canadian  governments  were  not 
stretched  out  for  the  protection  from  extermination  of  these 
really  valuable  animals.  But  in  the.  days  about  which  I  am 
writing  they  still  roamed  in  countless  multitudes  over  those 
western  prairies  and  furnished  the  Indian  and  Metis  with 
the  principal  part  of  their  food.  When  the  great  hunting- 
party  to  which  we  have  referred  wras  fairly  under  way  a 
great  council  was  held  at  a  camp-fire,  and  a  leader  or  presi 
dent  was  appointed.  Then  a  number  of  the  most  trusted 
men  were  elected  as  captains,  and  these  selected  others,  who 


AND  NORTHERN  GAMP-FIRES.  65 

were  called  constables,  to  aid  them  in  carrying  out  the  rig 
orous  laws  which  governed  the  whole  party.  The  hunt  be 
ing  thus  organized  every  member  of  it  was  considered  under 
military  law.  Implicit  obedience  was  demanded  from  all. 
No  hunter  was  permitted  to  return  home  or  go  out  shooting 
on  his  own  account;  and  when  the  region  of  country  was 
reached  where  the  great  herds  of  buffaloes  were  feeding  no 
gun  was  allowed  to  be  fired  until  the  leader  had  given  the 
word.  The  hunting  was  done  on  horseback,  and  the  well- 
trained  horses  thoroughly  entered  into  the  excitement  of  the 
sport.  It  was,  indeed,  a  wondrous  spectacle  to  see  those 
hundreds  of  stalwart  men,  as  fine  horsemen  as  the  world 
.ever  produced,  dressed  in  their  picturesque  garments  and 
holding  back,  until  the  word  to  advance  is  given,  their  neigh 
ing,  dancing,  excited,  fiery  racers  that,  having  by  sight  or  scent 
detected  the  presence  of  the  buffalo,  are  longing  for  the  fray. 
How  admirably  the  men  are  dressed  for  such  exciting 
work  !  Every  thing  about  them,  and  also  the  accouterments 
of  their  horses,  are  exactly  suited  for  the  hour.  Their  little 
saddles  are  made  of  deerskin,  strong  and  enduring,  yet  soft 
as  flannel.  Under  it  is  the  far-famed  saddle-cloth,  extend 
ing  beyond  the  saddle  on  every  side  and  beautifully  orna 
mented  with  bead  or  silk-thread  work  by  the  fond  wife  or 
bright-eyed  sweetheart.  On  they  move,  their  highly  orna 
mented  whips  swinging  by  a  loop  over  their  wrist.  In  one 
hand  is  held  the  trusty  carbine,  and  with  the  other  they 
restrain  their  fiery  steeds  until  they  get  well  in  range  of 
the  buffaloes  and  hear  the  welcome  signal  for  the  charge 
from  the  captain.  Then  they  dash  forward  with  a  deafen 
ing  yell.  The  great  herds  of  buffaloes,  bewildered  and  ex 
cited,  rapidly  rush  away,  but  are  speedily  overtaken  by  the 
swift  runners.  Pell-mell  into  the  herd  of  wild  animals  dash 
the  horsemen,  and  at  once  there  is  the  greatest  rivalry  among 
these  hunters  as  to  who  can,  in  the  shortest  time,  kill  the 
greatest  number  of  these  splendid  beasts.  All  are  firing  and 
.all  trying  to  hit  buffalo  and  not  one  another.  It  is  intensely 


66  STORIES  PR  031  INDIA  N  WIG  WA MS 

exciting  sport.  Both  men  and  horses  seem  almost  wild. 
How  they  escape  as  they  do  is  simply  marvelous.  Bullets 
are  flying  every-where;  for  some  of  the  fiery  horses  have 
carried  their  riders  so  far  into  the  herd  that  they  turn  in  their 
saddles  and  shoot  at  the  maddening,  excited  crowd  of  ani 
mals  behind  them.  Then  frequently  some  of  the  old  bulls, 
maddened  by  wounds  and  excited  by  the  smell  of  blood  rind 
the  presence  of  the  hunters,  suddenly  turn  and,  with  lowered 
heads  and  fearful  roars,  charge  the  too  adventurous  hunters. 
Well  is  it  for  them  that  their  well-trained  chargers  are 
quick  of  eye  and  nimble  on  their  feet.  If  it  were  not  so  no 
unfortunate  Spanish  bull-fighter  and  his  horse  were  ever 
more  quickly  or  cruelly  gored  and  tossed  than  would  be  this 
fiery  Metis  of  the  plains  and  his  gallant  steed.  Often  hun 
dreds  of  buffaloes  were  slaughtered  in  one  of  these  wildly 
exciting  charges. 

After  the  skins  had  been  taken  off  the  women  skillfully 
sliced  off  the  flesh  in  large,  thin  layers  of  meat,  which  they 
carefully  dried  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  or  well-managed  fires. 
In  this  way  many  bundles  of  dried  meat  were  prepared, 
which  was  pleasant  to  the  taste  and  would  keep  sweet  and 
good  for  many  months.  Thousands  of  pounds  of  pemmican 
would  also  be  prepared,  and  great  quantities  of  the  buffalo 
tallow  were  melted  down  into  large  cakes  and  carefully  pre 
served  for  future  use.  When  sufficient  supplies  had  been 
obtained  the  expedition  returned  home.  The  same  watch 
ful  care  had  to  be  used  to  prevent  surprise  or  sudden  attack 
from  their  alert  and  cunning  enemies.  Every  night  the 
tents  were  pitched  in  a  circle,  while  the  carts  and  other 
things  were  so  arranged  that  the  whole  encampment  was 
made  into  a  perfect  net-work  of  defense.  All  these  precau 
tions  were  necessary,  for  the  French  half-breeds  and  many  of 
the  wild  Indian  tribes  were  not  always  on  the  best  of  terms,  and 
if  one  caught  the  other  napping — well,  somebody  suffered. 

Great  and  marvelous  are  the  changes  which  have  in  these 
later  years  come  over  these  great  plains  and  fertile  prairies. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  67 

The  clays  of  vast  herds  of  buffaloes  thundering  along,  with 
plumed  and  painted  Indians  or  excited  French  half-breeds 
in  full  chase,  have  gone  forever.  Civilization,  with  its  at 
tendant  blessings,  and,  alas !  on  account  of  its  imperfection 
with  some  of  its  evils,  has  driven  back  the  game  and  the 
picturesque  hunters,  and  is  dotting  the  land  with  dwellings 
of  the  industrious  white  man,  who  has  evidently  come  to 
stay.  Many  are  the  transformations  which  he  is  making. 
His  iron  roads  are  already  made  across  the  matchless  prairies, 
and  up  and  on  through  mountain  glens  and  glacier  passes, 
by  placid  lakes  of  crystal  beauty,  set  like  gems  of  "  purest 
rays  serene,"  with  their  glorious  background  of  mountains 
whose  snowy  tops  lift  themselves  forever  above  the  fleecy  or 
tempestuous  clouds.  Already  with  an  eye  to  the  beautiful 
has  man  marked  out  parks  and  pleasure  resorts  of  wondrous 
beauty  and  sublimity,  where,  amid  scenery  more  entrancing, 
beautiful,  and  grand  than  any  that  Europe  can  offer,  the 
weary  over-worked  ones  in  multitudes  will  yet  come  for 
health  and  renewed  vigor  into  the  glorious  air  and  to  the 
healthful  springs  which  bubble  up  rivaling  in  reality  the 
fabled  nectar  of  ancient  times. 

But  while  those  glorious  Rockies,  with  their  mountain  lakes 
and  wondrous  glaciers  and  the  emerald  rivers  of  ice  will  attract 
additional  tourists  by  thousands,  it  will  be  on  the  boundless 
fertile  prairies  that  the  busy  multitudes  will  find  their  happy 
homes  and  make  their  comfortable  livelihood.  Of  the  num 
bers  who  will  yet  come,  and  of  the  possibilities  of  the  future 
of  that  land,  no  man  can  judge.  The  wildest  dreamer 
may  fall  short  of  what  may  still  be  accomplished.  The 
changes  of  a  few  short  years  have  been  simply  wonderful. 
Greater  things  are  yet  in  store.  On  a  career  of  progress  and 
prosperity  that  land  has  started.  May  nothing  occur  to  mar 
its  bright,  upward  growth  in  everything  calculated  to  make 
it  as  its  great  Creator  himself  desires  !  I  cannot  better  close 
this  chapter  than  by  here  quoting  from  the  fluent  pen  of  the 
Rev.  Alexander  Sutherland,  D.D.,  the  honored  senior  secre- 


68  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

tary  of  one  of  the  great  missionary  societies,  words  written 
by  him  on  his  return  from,  and  published  in  his  interesting 
book,  A  Summer  in  Prairie  Land.  He  says: 

"  As  I  pen  these  lines  I  stand  again  in  fancy  where  a  few 
months  ago  I  stood  in  fact,  on  the  summit  of  a  lofty  foot 
hill  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Behind  me  rose  the  mountain 
range,  beyond  which  the  sun  was  sinking  toward  the  west 
ern  sea,  and  I  thought  of  the  vast  treasures  embedded  in 
these  rocky  fastnesses  which  the  hand  of  human  enterprise 
would  one  day  bring  to  light;  of  the  towering  forests  on  the 
Western  slopes,  vast  enough  to  supply  the  markets  of  the 
world;  of  the  teeming  fisheries  with  food  supply  for  a  con 
tinent,  and  fertile  valleys  where  millions  would  yet  find  a 
home.  Before  me  stretched  the  rolling  foot-hills,  and  beyond 
these  the  distant  plain ;  but  imagination  passed  swiftly  on 
ward  to  where  the  Atlantic  surf  breaks  on  our  Eastern  coast, 
and  I  thought  of  the  splendid  harbors  and  rich  fisheries  and 
mineral  wealth  of  Nova  Scotia,  the  fertile  acres  of  Prince 
Edward,  the  pine  forests  of  New  Brunswick,  the  commerce  of 
Quebec,  the  agricultural  wealth  and  growing  manufactures 
of  Ontario;  of  our  mighty  lakes,  those  highways  of  commerce 
that  link  together  the  East  and  the  West;  and  then  again  my 
eye  rested  upon  the  varied  panorama  of  hill  and  vale  and  dis 
tant  plain  spread  out  at  my  feet.  Far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
there  was  no  sign  of  human  habitation,  and  no  sound  of  hu 
man  activities  broke  the  stillness;  but  as  thought  took  in  the 
possibilities  of  the  future  I  stood  intently  listening  like  one  who 

" '  Hoars  from  far  the  muffled  tread 

Of  millions  yet  to  be — 
The  first  low  dasli  of  waves  where  yet 

Shall  roll  the  human  sea.' 

In  fancy's  ear  I  heard  the  lowing  of  cattle  from  the  hill 
sides,  the  hum  of  industry  from  a  hundred  towns  and  villages, 
the  merry  shout  of  children  returning  from  school,  and  in  the 
distance  the  thundering  tread  of  the  iron  horse  as  he  sped 


AXD  NORTHERN'  CAMP-FIRES.  69 

swiftly  across  the  plain.  As  I  looked  again  the  whole  scene 
was  transfigured.  Eveiy-where  quiet  homesteads  dotted  the 
plains  and  nestled  among  the  hills,  the  smoke  of  factories 
rose  thickly  on  the  air,  a  hundred  village  spires  glittered  in 
the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  while  golden  fields  of  ripening 
grain  filled  up  the  interspaces  and  waved  in  the  passing 
breeze;  and  I  said  in  my  heart:  'Lo,  here  is  a  dominion 
stretching  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends 
of  the  earth,  with  the  garnered  experience  of  the  centuries 
behind  it,  with  no  fetters  of  past  abuses  to  cramp  its  ener 
gies  or  hinder  its  development,  with  no  outside  jealousies 
ready  to  take  advantage  of  its  weakness,  or  avaricious  neighbor 
covetous  of  its  wealth.  Starting  thus  in  the  career  of  empire, 
with  unfettered  limbs  and  a  hearty  '  Godspeed  '  from  the  great 
sisterhood  of  nations,  surely  nothing  short  of  persistent  folly 
or  deliberate  wickedness  can  mar  the  future  of  its  hopes.' " 


70  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  V. 


-  TERRIBLE  RESULTS  WHICH  HAVE  FOLLOWED  FROM 
ITS  INTRODUCTION  AMONG  THEM  -  PATHETIC  PROTESTS 
OF  THE  INDIANS  AGAINST  IT  -  AN  ELOQUENT  BUT 
FRUITLESS  ADDRESS  —  SAD  SCENES  WITNESSED  -  CUNNING 
TRICKS  OF  WHISKY-TRADERS  TO  BRING  IN  THE  LIQUOR 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  -  QUEER  METHODS  OF  "TREATING" 
—  DISAPPOINTING  VISIT  TO  AN  INDIAN  TRADING-POST  - 
INDIANS  ALL  DRUNK  ON  THE  WHITE  MAN'S  RUM  —  OUR 
LIVES  IN  JEOPARDY  -  SIGENOOK's  WILL-POWER  -  PROHI 
BITION  NOW  THE  LAW  IN  MANY  PARTS  OF  THE  COUNTRY. 

TYTOTIIING  has  done  more  to  impede  the  progress  of 
-L  *  Christianity  and  the  blessings  of  a  genuine  civilization 
among  the  Indians  than  the  introduction  of  spirituous  liq 
uors  among  them  by  the  white  people.  In  their  original 
state  the  red  men  of  America  had  no  intoxicating  liquors. 
The  wholesome  water  from  the  springs,  streams,  and  great 
lakes  furnished  them  all  the  beverage  they  required.  And 
yet  no  people  of  whom  we  have  any  knowledge  can  be  more 
infatuated  by  this  terrible  evil  when  it  once  gets  the  mastery 
over  them  than  the  red  Indian.  When  once  he  gets  a  taste 
for  the  fire-water  his  burning,  craving  appetite  seems  to  have 
no  bounds,  and  he  will  do  any  thing  and  part  with  every 
thing  in  order  that  he  may  obtain  the  accursed  stuff.  I 
have  known  them  to  part  with  their  furs,  guns,  traps, 
blankets,  yea,  even  sell  wives  and  children,  for  the  unprin 
cipled  white  man's  fire-water.  A  woman  by  the  name  of 
Norwich,  when  half  intoxicated,  in  her  mad  frenzy  for  more 
liquor  sold  her  only  child,  a  bright-eyed  little  girl,  for  a  quart 
of  whisky. 

When  drunk  the  generally  phlegmatic,  stoical  Indian  often 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  71 

becomes  a  fiend  incarnate.  The  quiet  decorum  of  an  Indian 
village  is  changed  into  a  pandemonium  when  the  white  trad 
ers,  with  their  poisonous  compounds  called  fire-water,  get 
possession  and  cunningly  scatter  it  among  the  hunters  ere 
they  begin  to  trade  with  them  for  their  valuable  furs  or  skins. 
I  have  in  my  missionary  wandering  had  to  witness  scenes  that 
filled  my  heart  with  sorrow  for  the  poor  Indians  who  were 
so  foolish  as  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  the  wretched  stuff. 
Toward  the  white  men  who  brought  in  the  liquor  no  words 
of  indignant  protest  were  too  severe  ;  but  little  cared  they 
for  a  missionary's  pleadings.  The  demon  of  gain  had  so 
taken  possession  of  them  that  Indians,  morals,  character, 
health,  life,  or  family  were  nothing  to  them  if  only  they 
could  so  excite  the  Indian's  appetite  for  drink  as  to  rob  him 
of  his  natural  shrewdness  and  carefulness  in  bargaining  and 
thus  get  his  rich  furs  for  a  trifle. 

When  infuriated  with  drink  the  men  used  to  terribly  beat 
their  wives,  and  often  drag  them  for  many  yards  by  the  hair 
of  their  head.  The  helpless  children  came  in  for  their  full 
share  of  suffering  from  their  enraged  or  maddened  fathers  or 
older  brothers.  Fortunate  was  it  if,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
drunken  debauch,  some  of  the  women  had  been  successful  in 
gathering  up  the  guns,  tomahawks,  axes,  knives,  and  other 
deadly  weapons,  and  carrying  them  away  and  concealing 
them  in  the  woods  for  the  time  being  as  precautionary  meas 
ures.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  this,  murders  frequently 
occurred  during  the  carnival  of  sin.  If  one  of  the  drunken 
bouts  happened  in  winter,  during  the  bitter  cold,  dreadful 
sufferings  and  often  much  fatality  resulted.  Twelve  children 
have  been  known  to  have  perished  in  one  drunken  frolic. 

Here  is  an  earnest  and  pathetic  address  which  was  made 
by  a  chief  called  Little  Turtle  to  some  noble  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  who  have  always  been  the  friends  of  the 
Indians.  It  was  delivered  as  he  was  passing  on  his  way  to 
Washington  to  plead  with  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  put  a  stop  to  the  traffic  in  fire-water  among  his 


7?  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

countrymen.  Though  uttered  many  years  ago  it  is  still  ap 
plicable: 

"  BROTHERS  AND  FRIEXDS:  When  our  forefathers  first  met 
on  this  continent  your  red  brethren  were  very  numerous;  but 
since  the  introduction  of  what  you  call  spirituous  liquors,  but 
what  we  think  we  may  justly  call  poison,  our  numbers  have 
greatly  diminished.  It  has  destroyed  a  great  number  of 
your  red  brethren.  It  is  not  an  evil  of  our  own  making.  We 
had  it  not  among  ourselves,  but  it  is  an  evil  placed  among 
us  by  the  white  people,  and  so  we  look  to  them  to  remove  it 
out  of  our  country.  We  tell  the  traders  to  fetch  us  useful 
things — bring  us  goods  that  will  clothe  us  and  our  women 
and  children,  and  not  this  liquor  that  destroys  our  health,  our 
reason,  that  destroys  our  lives.  But  all  I  have  said  thus  far 
lias  been  of  no  service,  and  has  given  us  no  relief  from  this 
curse.  My  friends  and  brothers,  I  rejoice  to  find  that  you 
agree  in  opinions  with  us,  and  are  anxious,  if  possible,  to  be 
of  service  to  us  in  removing  this  great  evil  out  of  our  coun 
try — an  evil  which  has  destroyed  so  many  of  our  lives  that  it 
lias  caused  our  young  men  to  say:  (  We  had  better  be  at  war 
with  the  white  people.  This  liquor  which  they  introduce 
into  our  country  is  more  to  be  feared  than  the  gun  or  the 
tomahawk.  There  are  more  of  us  dead  by  this  fire-water 
since  the  treaty  of  peace  than  we  lost  by  the  six  years  of 
war  before.' " 

This  is  a  terrible  indictment  against  the  abominable  traf 
fic,  that  more  should  have  been  killed  by  the  white  man's 
liquor  than  were  cut  off  in  those  bloody  wars.  Continuing 
his  address  to  these  Baltimore  Friends,  Little  Turtle  de 
scribed  the  execrable  methods  of  the  unprincipled  white 
traders  in  their  selfish  dealings  with  the  Indians: 

"  Brothers,  when  our  young  men  have  been  out  hunting 
and  are  returning  home  loaded  with  skins  and  furs  on  their 
way  it  often  happens  that  they  are  met  by  the  white  traders 
with  this  whisky.  The  traders  tell  the  young  hunters  to 
take  a  little  drink.  Some  of  them  would  say,  '  No,  I  do  not 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  75 

want  it.'  They  go  on  till  they  come  to  another  house  where 
they  find  more  of  this  same  kind  of  drink.  It  is  there  of 
fered  again.  They  refuse,  and  again  the  third  time ;  but 
finally  the  fourth  or  fifth  time  it  is  offered  one  accepts  of  it 
and  takes  a  drink,  and,  getting  one,  he  wants  another,  and 
then  a  third  or  fourth,  till  his  senses  have  left  him.  After 
his  reason  comes  back  to  him,  when  he  gets  up  and  finds 
where  he  is  he  asks  for  his  furs  and  skins.  The  answer  is: 

"  'You  have  drunk  them.' 

"  '  Where  is  my  gun  ?  ' 

"  'It  is  gone.' 

"  '  Where  is  my  blanket  ?  ' 

"  '  It  is  gone.' 

"  '  Where  is  my  shirt  ?  ' 

'"You  have  sold  it  for  whisky.' 

"Now,  my  white  brothers,  figure  to  yourselves  what  con 
dition  this  man  must  be  in.  lie  lias  a  family  at  home,  a  wife 
and  children  who  stand  in  need  of  the  profits  of  his  hunting. 
Think  of  what  must  be  the  wants  and  sufferings  when  even 
he  himself  is  without  a  shirt !  " 

While  I  was   out  in  the  North-west  laboring:  among  the 

O  O 

Indians  the  following  occurred:  The  Canadian  government 
in  its  efforts  to  protect  and  save  the  red  men,  as  well  as  to 
keep  them  in  order,  had  established  a  large  company  of 
mounted  police  in  the  great  region  west  of  Manitoba.  They 
tried  faithfully  to  do  their  duty,  and  as  a  natural  result  peace 
and  quietude  abounded.  Still,  in  spite  of  all  their  alertness 
and  care,  there  were  times  when  the  whisky- traders  were 
too  sharp  for  them,  and  trouble  followed. 

One  day  the  guard  of  police  near  the  boundary-line  between 
the  United  States  and  Canada  saw  coming  across  the  small 
river  which  there  separated  the  two  countries  a  number  of 
traders.  According  to  their  instructions  they  visited  their 
carts  and  carefully  looked  through  the  supplies  to  see  if  there 
were  any  intoxicating  liquors,  which,  if  they  had  found,  they 
would  have  quickly  spilled  on  the  ground.  Their  diligent 


74  STORIES  FROM  INDIA%  WIGWAMS 

search,  however,  revealed  nothing  that  was  contraband.  In 
these  western  prairies  there  are  often  long  stretches  between 
streams  where  no  water  is.  The  result  is  the  carts  are  fur 
nished  with  a  five  or  ten  gallon  keg,  according  to  the  number 
of  persons  and  horses  traveling.  This  keg  is  filled  at  each 
stream  for  use  till  the  next  is  reached.  When  these  traders 
saw  the  police  coming  one  of  them  leisurely  picked  up  the 
keg  and  carried  it  down  to  the  stream  of  clear,  beautiful 
water  which  they  had  just  crossed.  While  the  police  were 
looking  through  the  cart  he  was  apparently  filling  up  his  keg. 
When  this  was  done  he  lifted  it  up  with  great  effort,  and, 
putting  it  on  his  shoulder,  he  brought  it  up  and  threw  it 
among  the  goods  which  were  being  overhauled  in  the  cart. 
As  nothing  objectionable  was  found  they  were  allowed  to 
proceed  to  the  camp  of  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  where  they 
wished  to  trade. 

Several  days  after  word  came  to  the  police  barracks  that 
there  had  been  a  terrible  time  in  the  Blackfeet  village,  that 
some  traders  with  liquor  had  got  in  among  them,  and,  after 
setting  them  crazy  and  mad  with  the  fire-water,  had  succeeded 
in  getting  eight  or  ten  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  furs  from 
them,  and  had  escaped  across  the  boundary-line  into  Montana. 
The  police  were  of  course  indignant  at  having  been  so  over 
reached.  It  seems  that  the  keg  which  with  so  much  ado 
one  of  the  wretches  was  observed  to  apparently  fill  with 
water  was  already  full  of  the  horrid  western  whisky,  and 
his  ruse  was  only  to  throw  the  policemen  off  their  guard,  and 
unfortunately  in  this  succeeded  all  too  well.  In  the  car 
nival  of  death  that  resulted  among  the  Indians  four  men 
were  murdered,  and  others  were  so  wounded  that  they  died 
soon  after,  and  some  were  maimed  for  life. 

It  is  indeed  a  cause  of  thankfulness  that  the  liquor  traffic 
has  been  suppressed  among  the  northern  tribes  of  Canadian 
Indians  most  effectually.  But  it  was  not  always  so.  While 
the  great  fur-trading  company  that  long  held  absolute  rule 
in  that  land  boasted  that  they  never  sold  a  glass  of  rum  to 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  75 

an  Indian  it  was  notorious  that  many  barrels  every  year 
were  distributed  among  them  in  a  way  equally  pernicious. 
Such  sights  as  this  I  have  seen  at  an  interior  trading-post:  A 
number  of  Indians  laden  with  valuable  furs  have  come  in 
from  their  distant  hunting-grounds  and  are  gathered  around  the 
little  store  of  the  great  fur  company.  The  heavy  door  is  opened 
and  six  or  eight  only  of  the  men  are  admitted  at  once.  Then 
the  door  is  closed  and  the  rum  is  produced.  To  each  man  is 
given  a  large  tin  cup  full,  which  he  drinks  with  great  gusto. 
When  all  have  been  served  and  they  are  about  to  be  let  out, 
that  another  squad  may  come  in,  one  says  to  the  clerk  in 
charge,  "  Please  give  us  a  little  more."  If  he  is  an  obliging 
fellow  he  will  generally  comply,  as  he  well  knows  the  pur 
pose  for  which  it  is  wanted.  From  this  last  supply  each 
man  fills  his  mouth  as  full  as  possible,  and  then  with  cheeks 
distended  turns  toward  the  door  which  is  opened  for  his  exit. 
As  they  come  out  their  friends  rush  round  them  with  open 
mouths  and  from  each  of  these  well-filled  ones  a  little  rum  is 
squirted  into  this  open  mouth  and  that  open  mouth  until  all 
is  thus  fired  out.  And,  as  turn  about  is  fair  play,  when  these 
later  ones  are  admitted  in  they  come  out  with  full  mouths 
also  and  treat  those  who  in  this  primitive  way  had  treated 
them. 

Not  always  did  the  distribution  of  rum  end  so  wrell  or 
have  such  a  ludicrous  aspect.  I  well  remember  one  summer 
after  traveling  many  days  in  a  birch  canoe  with  a  couple  of 
faithful  Indians,  when  on  the  journey  wre  had  been  drenched 
by  the  rains,  tormented  by  the  mosquitoes,  and  nearly 
wrecked  in  some  of  the  great  rapids,  to  find  on  our  arrival 
at  a  pagan  Indian  village  where  we  had  long  desired  to 
preach  the  Gospel  that  a  so-called  Christian  white  man  with 
his  wretched  fire-water  had  got  in  before  us.  Most  of  the 
Indians  W7ere  in  a  maudlin  state  of  drunkenness  and  were 
clamoring  for  more  liquor.  I  was  annoyed  and  indignant  at 
what  I  saw,  but  was  powerless  to  do  any  thing.  The  trader 
had  around  his  trading-post,  which  consisted  of  several  small 


76  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

log-houses,  a  stockade  fence  about  twelve  or  fourteen  feet 
high.  This  fence  was  made  by  digging  a  trench  several  feet 
deep  and  placing  in  it  the  stockades,  which  were  the  trunks 
of  small  trees  about  a  foot  thick.  From  these  the  bark  was 
peeled  off  and  the  upper  end  sharpened  to  a  point.  These 
were  placed  side  by  side  in  the  trench  and  securely  fastened 
by  transverse  bars  spiked  on  the  inner  side.  When 
well  made  as  this  one  was,  such  a  wall  affords  a  good  deal  of 
protection.  Fortunately  for  this  trader,  he  had  treated  the 
Indians  to  his  rum  on  the  outside  of  his  wall,  and  seeing 
danger  when  they  began  to  call  for  more  he  handed  them 
more  liquor  and  then  with  his  three  or  four  men  took  refuge 
inside  of  his  walls.  In  this  inclosure  with  my  canoe-men  I 
had  also  gone,  as  I  saw  that  trouble  was  brewing.  The  ad 
ditional  liquor  given  the  Indians  only  seemed  to  make  them 
clamor  for  more,  and  they  were  resolved  to  have  it.  The 
trader  was  now  very  much  frightened,  and  at  this  I  must  ad 
mit  I  rejoiced.  Fortunately  for  him,  he  and  his  men  had 
succeeded  in  closing  the  gates  before  any  of  the  mad,  drunk 
en,  yelling  fellows  had  got  in.  Night  was  now  coming 
down  upon  us.  Inside  the  stockade  were  we,  a  few  white 
men  and  my  Christian  Indian  boatmen.  Outside  was  the 
crowd  of  drunken,  yelling  savages  changed  by  this  poisonous 
compound,  the  white  man's  rum,  from  being  quiet,  sedate, 
wood  Indians,  into  furious  demons.  Wives  and  children 
were  terribly  beaten  or  chased  away  into  the  forest  gloom. 
Some,  fortunately  for  us,  were  so  under  the  influence  of  the 
liquor  that  they  fell  off  into  a  drunken  slumber.  A  number 
of  others,  with  appetites  excited  by  what  they  had  had,  re 
solved  to  have  more,  and  so  they  made  a  desperate  effort, 
which  was  continued  for  hours,  to  get  inside  of  the  high 
stockaded  wall.  It  was  well  for  us  that  they  were  so  drunk 
that  they  were  incapable  of  combining  for  any  organized 
effort.  All  they  seemed  capable  of  doing  was  to  try  and 
climb  over  the  stockade,  with  dire  threats  of  vengeance. 
The  trader  and  his  men  armed  themselves  with  long  poles, 


NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  77 

and  as  fast  as  a  head  was  seen  emerging  above  the  top  they 
quickly  caught  the  unfortunate  transgressor  under  the  chin 
with  the  end  of  these  poles  arid  hurled  him  to  the  ground 
below.  The  din  and  threats  from  outside  at  times  were  ter 
rible,  and  the  trader  was  quaking  with  fear,  and  I  must  can 
didly  add  that  I  rejoiced  to  see  him  frightened  at  his  own 
wretched  work,  although  I  well  knew  if  the  angry  Indians 
should  use  fire  or  other  harsh  means  to  conquer  we  would  all 
be  involved  in  the  common  disaster.  Toward  sunrise  they 
sobered  off  and  the  danger  was  over. 

Of  course,  my  visit  was  a  complete  failure,  and  with  a  heavy 
heart,  with  my  faithful  canoe-men,  who  were  about  as  grieved 
and  saddened  as  I  was  at  what  we  witnessed,  we  turned  our 
faces  homeward  and  after  several  days  of  hard  paddling  reached 
our  homes,  having  to  admit  that  the  wicked  white  man,  with 
his  rum  and  wrhisky,  was  the  Indian's  greatest  curse,  and  that 
one  such  unprincipled  man  witli  his  spirituous  liquors  could 
do  much  more  injury  than  a  dozen  missionaries  could  do  good. 

It  is  pleasing  to  read  such  incidents  as  the  following,  and 
to  find  that  there  are  even  among  the  Indians  some  who  have 
enough  force  of  will  and  regard  for  their  self-respect  to  break 
loose  from  the  fetters  that  intemperance  would  bind  around 
them. 

Sigenook,  of  Mane  to  u  waning,  was  a  great  warrior  and  ora 
tor,  but  unfortunately  he  became  so  fond  of  the  white  man's 
whisky  that  he  became  a  terrible  sot.  He  was  a  man  of 
gigantic  strength  and  had  an  ungovernable  temper  when 
drunk.  So  dangerous  was  he  that  when  he  began  to  drink 
the  only  way  of  safety  was  for  his  attendant  to  ply  him  with 
drink  until  he  became  insensible.  Then  only  did  his  com 
panions  and  attendant  feel  safe  from  his  knife  or  tomahawk. 
One  day,  when  he  was  in  one  of  his  drunken  stupors,  a  Canadian 
Indian  agent,  knowing  Sigenook's  good  qualities  when  sober, 
thought  he  would  by  a  novel  method  try  to  reform  him.  The 
plan  he  adapted  was  this:  Obtaining  a  quantity  of  rope,  he 
very  securely  bound  hand  and  foot  the  helpless,  drunken, 


75  STOfilES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

gigantic  man,  and  then  left  a  little  miserable,  feeble,  decrepit 
boy  to  watch  over  him  while  he  slept,  with  orders  that  just 
as  soon  as  the  Indian  awoke  he  was  to  hasten  to  him  witli 
the  news,  but  by  no  means  was  he  to  tell  the  chief  who  had 
bound  him. 

After  some  hours  Sigenook  awoke,  and  of  course  was  furi 
ous  at  finding  himself  bound.  He  angrily  demanded  of  the 
boy  who  had  dared  to  bind  such  a  mighty  warrior  as  he  was. 
The  little  lad  gave  him  no  answer,  but  at  once  hobbled  away 
to  the  white  man  with  the  news  that  the  chief  was  awake. 
The  gentleman  hurried  over  to  the  furious  man,  who  was 
making  the  most  desperate  efforts  to  escape,  but  all  in  vain. 
The  not  overly  conscientious  white  man  told  him  that  the 
helpless  little  boy  had  bound  him  and  that  he  had  lain  for 
hours  exposed  to  the  derision  and  contempt  of  the  whole  vil 
lage.  Then  he  gave  him  a  great  lecture  on  the  disgrace  and 
degradation  a  great  warrior  like  he  professed  to  be  had 
brought  on  himself  by  thus  lowering  himself  below  the 
brutes  to  gratify  his  vile  appetite  and  thus  making  himself 
so  helpless  that  he  could  not  even  protect  himself  from  in 
sult  or  annoyance. 

Sigenook's  pride  was  humbled,  and  he  wTas  greatly  mor 
tified  at  his  humiliation  and  disgrace  in  the  eyes  of  his 
own  people  and  before  the  whites,  and  he  then  and  there  re 
solved  that  he  would  never  again  be  found  in  such  a  condi 
tion.  When  released  he  at  once  took  the  pledge  of  total 
abstinence,  and  he  was  ever  after  true  to  his  resolution. 

This  was,  however,  not  always  the  case  with  those  who  tried 
to  reform.  As  with  the  whites  so  it  is  with  the  poor  Indians. 
When  once  the  appetite  has  been  formed  for  strong  drink  it 
becomes  a  terrible  tyrant,  and  is  ever  striving  for  the  mastery. 
We  had  all  the  trouble,  in  one  form  or  other,  at  our  missions,  in 
the  days  when  liquors  could  be  obtained,  that  afflict  and  harass 
missionaries  in  other  lands,  where  the  white  man's  intoxi 
cants  are  ruining  more  immortal  souls  than  the  missionaries 
rescue. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  79 

So  terrible  is  this  evil  among  the  Indians,  and  so  liable 
are  they  to  fall,  if  once  they  begin  to  tamper  with  intoxicat 
ing  liquors,  that  I  always  made  my  mission  churches  total 
abstinence  societies.  I  insisted  on  every  man  who  wished  to 
be  called  a  member  of  the  church  that  he  should  be  a  total 
abstainer.  Some  were  at  first  a  little  inclined  to  think  I  was 
too  strict,  but  afterward  they  rejoiced  that  this  law  was  made 
and  rigidly  enforced.  Many  temptations  were  put  in  the  way 
of  the  Indians  by  vicious  and  unprincipled  rum-sellers,  but  as 
a  general  thing  our  converts  were  true  and  steadfast,  and  all 
rejoiced  when  the  proclamation  of  the  government  of  the  Do 
minion  of  Canada  arrived  declaring  that  all  traffic  in  intoxicat 
ing  liquors  should  cease  in  those  northern  territories. 

7 


80  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   RELIGION  OF    THE   INDIANS THEIR    RELIGIOUS    INSTINCTS 

STRONGLY    DEVELOPED SIMILARITY     OF    BELIEFS    AMONG 

ALL  THE  TRIBES A  GOOD  AND  A  BAD  SPIRIT MULTITUDES 

OF     INFERIOR    GODS MARVELOUS      SIMILARITY    BETWEEN 

MANY    INDIAN    AND     ANCIENT     JEWISH    CUSTOMS — BELIEF 

IN  AND  FEAR  OF  WINDAGOOS,   OR   MAN-EATERS STORY  OF 

A  MISSIONARY  SPEECH REFERENCE  TO  CANNIBALS  BRINGS 

UP  THE  DREAD  OF  WINDAGOOS PEOPLE  ALL  FLEE   TO    AN 

ISLAND BROUGHT  BACK  BY  THE  MISSIONARY. 

MAN  has  been  defined  by  a  certain  philosopher  to  be  "  the 
religious  animal."  And  very  strange  indeed  is  it  that  no 
tribe  or  nation  of  any  size  has  been  found  on  this  broad  earth 
of  ours  without  the  instincts  of  worship.  To  this  universal 
belief  the  Indians  are  not  exceptions,  but  on  the  contrary  are 
endowed  with  what  may  be  called  the  religious  instincts  in  a 
remarkable  manner.  Pope  correctly  grasped  the  trend  of  the 
Indian's  mind  when  he  wrote  : 

"  Lo,  the  poor  Indian  !  whose  untutored  mind 

Sees  God  in  clouds,  or  hears  him  iu  the  wind ; 

His  soul,  proud  Science  never  taught  to  stray 

Far  as  the  solar  walk  or  milky  way ; 

Yet  simpler  Nature  to  his  hope  has  given, 

Behind  the  cloud-topt  hill,  a  humbler  heaven  ; 

Some  safer  world  in  depths  of  woods  embraced, 

Some  happier  island  in  the  watery  waste." 

Their  superstitious  fears  (called  their  religions)  influence 
their  impressible  and  fickle  spirits  in  a  manner  that  at  times 
is  almost  incredible,  and  cause  them  to  inflict  sufferings 
upon  themselves  as  severe  as  any  inflicted  by  the  devotees  in 
the  worst  regions  of  India  or  Africa.  The  religion  of  the 
red  Indians  is  mixed  up  with  all  they  see  or  hear  or  do.  It 
is  associated  with  various  confused  beliefs  and  often  accom- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  81 

panied  by  many  complicated  and  magical  rites.  These  re 
ligious  beliefs  of  the  different  tribes  of  Indians  bear  a  strik 
ing  analogy  one  with  the  other,  and  in  this  we  see  a  strong 
argument  of  the  oneness  of  the  race.  Long  years  of  separa 
tion  as  tribes  and  the  lack  of  a  written  language  in  which  to 
keep  an  accurate  record  of  their  belief  must  naturally  tend 
to  cause  many  divergences.  The  wonder  is  that  with  very 
few  exceptions  through  these  long  centuries  the  whole  of 
the  tribes  have  Avith  such  very  slight  variations  retained  the 
same  religious  beliefs  and  the  same  forms  or  symbols  of 
worship  more  or  less  elaborate.  The  Crees,  Saulteaux,  Ojib- 
ways,  and  some  other  of  the  northern  tribes  of  Indians  believe 
in  the  existence  of  a  great  Supreme  Being,  whom  they  call  the 
Jfeche-Maneto,  which  means  the  Great  Spirit.  They  believe 
that  he  is  full  of  love  and  pity  toward  the  human  race,  but. 
that  he  is  too  exalted  above  them  and  has  too  many  things 
occupying  his  attention  to  care  more  for  them  than  merely 
to  give  them  food. 

The  tribes  in  the  West  believe  that  the  Good  Spirit  does 
more  than  this.  They  believe  that  he  is  the  "  good  medicine" 
that  aids  them  in  their  various  schemes  and  plans;  that  he 
delivers  them  from  the  bullets  of  their  enemies,  and  is  anxious 
that  they  should  have  success  in  war  and  adventure  and 
every  thing  that  tends  to  their  prosperity.  As  their  ideas  of 
right  and  wrong  are  very  vague,  and  are  prompted  by  their 
own  selfishness,  so  their  idea  of  the  good  God  is  that  he  is 
the  one  to  aid  them  in  stealing  horses  or  successfully  raiding 
the  camps  of  their  enemies.  He  directs  their  bullets  and  turns 
aside  the  whizzing  arrows  of  their  foes. 

All  the  tribes  believe  in  what  they  call  the  MucJie-Maneto^ 
or  Bad  Spirit.  They  affirm  he  is  the  enemy  of  every  Indian 
and  is  ever  trying  to  injure  and  to  harm.  He  is  to  them  the 
source  of  all  the  troubles  and  misfortunes  and  annoyances  of 
life.  He  brings  the  summer  drought  that  burns  up  all  the 
grass,  and  then  from  him  comes  the  terrible  cold.  He  drives 
away  the  game,  twists  the  bullets,  and  prematurely  snaps  the 


82  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

traps  before  the  animals  are  in.  He  has  power,  they  say,  to 
injure  or  kill  all  who  dare  excite  his  ire,  and  he  is  very  easily 
offended.  Some  tribes  do  not  scruple  to  offer  sacrifices  to  the 
Bad  Spirit  in  order  to  retain  his  friendship  and  appease  his 
anger.  Many  of  the  Indians  also  believe  in  the  existence 
of  innumerable  inferior  spirits  or  subordinate  deities  that  have 
certain  power  or  influence  over  the  destinies  of  human  beings. 
Then  they  have  gods  who  control  the  game,  others  the  fish, 
and  others  who  bring  up  or  hush  the  storms.  Their  vast 
forests,  lakes,  rivers,  and  prairies,  in  their  excited  imaginations, 
are  inhabited  by  multitudes  of  these  inferior  spirits  ready  to 
do  good  or  ill  to  the  human  race,  as  they  feel  disposed. 

The  early  Virginian  Indians  believed  in  the  existence  of  one 
God,  but  they  also  believed  that  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars 
were  subordinate  gods,  and  that  offerings  should  be  presented 
to  them.  They  believed  the  Great  Spirit  rode  on  the  clouds 
and  his  voice  was  heard  in  the  storms. 

The  Sacs  and  some  other  tribes  believed  in  a  living  God, 
active  and  interested  in  the  affairs  of  men.  They  reverently 
worshiped  him,  regarding  him  as  the  giver  of  all  their  good 
things  and  the  sure  avenger  of  all  their  wrongs.  Their  re 
ligion,  like  that  of  many  of  the  other  tribes,  partook  largely 
of  the  Jewish  character.  Feasts  were  held  and  prayers  were 
offered  before  the  crops  were  planted,  and  then  there  was  the 
offering  of  the  first-fruits  with  invocations  when  the  harvest 
was  gathered.  At  the  birth  of  a  child  there  were  prayers 
and  thanksgiving.  When  the  loved  ones  died,  at  the  grave 
there  were  special  invocations  that  the  departed  ones  might 
l>e  safely  transmitted  to  the  happy  spirit-land. 

A  few  years  ago  there  were  some  prominent  persons  who, 
from  observing  many  of  the  habits,  and  especially  the  religious 
beliefs  and  customs,  of  the  Indians,  firmly  believed  that  they 
were  descended  from  some  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel.  While 
this  belief  does  not  now  so  prevail,  still  there  were  some  ar 
guments  so  striking  that  the  subject  was,  and  still  is,  one  of 
interest,  and  must  ever  come  to  the  front  when  discussing 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  83 

the  probable  origin  of  these  races.  The  parallel  is  remarka 
ble  and  worthy  of  being  preserved.  The  Indians  lived  in 
tribes  as  did  the  ancient  Israelites.  The  personal  resem 
blance  in  many  instances  is  most  striking.  We  have  seen 
many  Indian  faces  that  were  very  Jewish  indeed.  They  ac 
knowledged  one  God,  the  Great  Spirit,  who  created  and  up 
holds  all  things.  They  believe  in  a  Bad  Spirit,  the  source  of 
all  evil.  By  some  of  the  tribes  the  Good  Spirit  is  called  Ahe, 
the  old  Hebrew  name  of  God.  He  is  also  by  some  called 
Yehmoah,  sometimes  IWi,  and  also  Abba.  They  have  a 
tradition  that  the  time  was  when  their  fathers  were  in  very 
close  covenant  relation  with  the  Great  Spirit,  before  the  Bad 
Spirit  obtained  the  power  and  influence  he  now  has.  They 
all  acknowledge  an  overruling  Providence,  and  believe  that 
when  we  have  done  the  best  we  can  we  must  passively  sub 
mit  to  what  comes  to  pass.  Many  of  their  feasts  bear  a 
great  similarity  to  those  of  the  Mosaic  ritual.  The  cere 
mony  of  the  offering  of  the  first  kettle  of  green  corn  is  ex 
actly  as  the  Jewish  offering  of  first-fruits  was.  When  suc 
cessful  in  shooting  a  number  of  deer  one  was  cut  up  and 
burnt  as  a  thank-offering  on  an  altar  of  rough  stones,  great 
care  being  taken  that  not  a  bone  of  the  animal  sacrificed 
should  be  broken. 

Generations  ago  the  Iroquois  and  some  other  tribes  prac 
ticed  the  rite  of  circumcision,  and  although  they  have  given 
up  the  custom,  having  lost  the  tradition  why  it  was  practiced, 
yet  that  it  was  customary  among  them  is  also  attested  by  the 
fact  that  even  to  this  day  when  the  Munceys  and  Iroquois 
quarrel  the  former  in  derision  reproach  them  with  having 
practiced  this  rite  in  olden  times. 

That  these  remarkable  analogies  should  exist  is  an  interest 
ing  study,  and  also  that  these  Indians  should  have  in  many 
of  the  tribes  a  most  remarkable  tradition  of  a  great  deluge, 
in  which  the  world  was  overwhelmed,  and  the  whole  human 
race  perished  except  one  family  who  escaped  either  in  a  big 
canoe  or  on  a  great  raft,  is  very  suggestive  and  instructive. 


84  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

Among  the  many  errors  and  superstitions  into  which  they 
have  fallen  is  the  belief  in  the  existence  of  windagoos,  or 
gigantic  creatures  half  satanic  and  half  human,  whom  they 
represent  as  being  of  great  size  and  dwelling  in  the  dark, 
dreary  forests.  They  describe  them  as  being  so  powerful 
that  when  they  march  along  they  can  brush  aside  the  great 
pine-trees  as  an  ordinary  man  does  the  grass  of  the  prairies 
as  he  strides  along  through  it.  We  found  the  Saulteaux 
Indians  especially  living  in  dread  of  these  imaginary  mon 
sters.  At  many  a  camp-fire  they  used  to  tell  us  with  bated 
breath  that  these  windagoos  were  terrible  cannibals,  and  that 
whenever  they  caught  a  lonely  hunter  far  away  from  his 
home  they  soon  devoured  him.  When  I  tried  to  disabuse  their 
minds  of  these  fears  they  proceeded  to  tell  me  of  this  one  and 
that  one  who  had  been  seized  and  devoured.  The  instances 
they  brought  before  me  were  of  hunters  who  had  gone  away  on 
long  journeys  down  dangerous  rivers  and  treacherous  rapids. 
On  my  expressing  my  opinion  that  the  poor  fellows  had  been 
drowned  or  had  met  with  some  other  accident  the  Indians 
refused  to  be  convinced.  They  will  never  ndmit  that  an  ac 
cident  could  happen  to  any  of  their  great  hunters,  and  so  the 
one  theory  always  before  them  is  that  those  who  myste 
riously  disappear  have  been  caught  and  devoured  by  the 
windagoos. 

Of  the  power  and  grip  this  superstition  had  on  these  Saul 
teaux  I  had  a  startling  and  somewhat  amusing  illustration 
shortly  after  I  had  gone  as  their  first  missionary  to  live  among 
them.  Very  cordially  were  we  received,  and  much  encour 
aged  were  we  by  the  attention  given  to  our  words  and  the 
really  sincere  desire  manifested  to  improve  their  circum 
stances  socially  as  well  as  religiously.  As  there  were  many  of 
their  countrymen  still  without  missionaries  they  used  to  fre 
quently  ask  why  it  was  that  more  missionaries  with  the 
great  book  were  not  sent  among  them.  So  one  Sunday 
afternoon  I  held  a  kind  of  a  missionary  meeting  with  them. 
I  took  into  the  church  my  large  maps  of  the  world,  with  a 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  85 

number  of  pictures  of  heathens  of  many  lands.  I  explained 
the  map  to  them  and  showed  them  their  own  country,  and 
told  them  that  while  we  had  a  great  land  as  regards  size,  yet 
there  were  many  single  cities  with  more  people  in  them  than 
all  the  Indians  in  our  land  put  together.  Then  I  showed 
them  pictures  of  the  cannibals  of  the  isles  of  the  Pacific,  and 
described  others  of  the  wild,  wicked  nations  of  the  earth, 
and  told  them  that  good  white  people  were  sending  mission 
aries  to  a  great  many  of  these  lands,  and  they  must  not  ex 
pect  to  have  them  all  come  to  them.  "  For,"  said  I,  "  as  bad 
as  you  and  your  forefathers  were,  some  of  these  other  people 
were  much  worse ; "  and  then  I  particularized  by  describing- 
some  of  the  vilest  and  most  degraded  of  the  sinful  races.  I 
dwelt  on  cannibalism  especially,  and  told  of  the  man-eaters 
of  the  Pacific  islands,  who  did  not  even  object  to  a  roasted 
missionary  and  some  of  his  people  cooked  up  with  him. 
They  were  intensely  interested,  and  also  became  very  much 
excited  before  I  finished,  especially  at  what  I  had  said  about 
the  cannibals. 

The  service  closed  and  the  people  quickly  returned  to  their 
little  houses  and  wigwams  at  the  Indian  village,  which  was 
a  little  distance  from  the  mission-house  and  church.  The 
next  morning,  bright  and  early,  I  was  up,  and  after  break 
fast  and  prayers  started  off  to  continue  the  work  in  which  I 
had  been  engaged,  namely,  acting  the  part  of  a  surveyor  and 
helping  the  men  run  the  dividing-lines  between  their  little 
fields.  To  my  great  surprise,  when  I  reached  the  first  home 
I  found  that  every  body  was  away,  and  a  stick  tied  across 
the  door  was  the  sign  that  they  did  not  soon  expect  to  re 
turn.  On  to  the  next  and  the  next  houses  I  went,  and  thus  on 
through  the  whole  village,  and  found,  to  my  amazement, 
that  I  wras  literally  a  shepherd  without  a  flock,  a  missionary 
without  his  people.  Not  a  man,  woman,  child,  dog,  or  ca 
noe  was  to  be  found.  After  about  an  hour  of  aimless  wan 
dering  around  and  wondering  what  had  happened  I  re 
turned  to  my  home  and  told  my  erood  wife  of  the  loss  of  our 


86  STOfilES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

flock.  Like  myself  she  was  perplexed,  and  neither  of  us 
could  make  out  what  it  meant. 

The  Indians  had  often,  in  large  numbers,  gone  away  on 
their  great  hunting  excursions,  but  they  never  all  went  at 
the  same  time,  and  never  without  telling  us  of  their  going. 
So  we  were  indeed  perplexed.  Toward  evening  I  saw  a 
solitary  Indian  coming  from  a  distant  island  in  his  canoe.  I 
quickly  hurried  down  to  the  shore,  and  as  he  stopped  pad 
dling  a  few  hundred  feet  from  the  beach  I  shouted  to  him 
to  come  to  land.  He  immediately  came  in,  and  when  at  the 
shore  I  said  to  him: 

"  Where  are  the  Indians  ?  " 

"  Out  there  far  away  on  that  island  in  Lake  Winnipeg," 
he  replied. 

"  Why  are  they  there  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Very  much  afraid,"  he  said. 

"  Very  much  afraid!     Of  what  are  they  afraid  ? "  I  asked. 

"Windagoos!     Cannibals!"  he  answered. 

"  Did  any  of  you  see  any  windagoos  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  I  don't  think  we  did,  but  what  you  said  about  them 
in  your  address  in  the  church  made  our  hearts  melt  like 
water,  and  then  the  winds  began  to  blow,  and  there  from 
the  dark  forests,  with  the  sighing  winds  we  seemed  to  hear 
strange  sounds,  and  some  said,  "  Windagoos  !  windagoos  !  "" 
and  that  was  enough,  so  we  all  got  so  alarmed  that  we  launched 
our  canoes,  and,  taking  our  families  and  dogs,  away  we  pad 
dled  out  to  that  distant  island,  and  there  the  people  all  are  now." 

I  confess  I  was  amused  as  well  as  annoyed  at  the  start 
ling  effect  of  my  moving  speech,  and  picking  up  a  paddle  I 
sprang  into  the  canoe,  and  telling  the  Indian  to  show  me 
what  he  could  do  as  a  canoe-man  I  struck  in  with  him,  and 
in  less  than  an  hour  we  had  traversed  the  distance  of  sev 
eral  miles  that  lay  between  the  main-land  and  that  island. 
The  Indians  crowded  down  to  the  shore  to  meet  us,  and 
seemed  delighted  to  see  me.  They  wanted  to  shake  hands 
and  make  a  great  fuss  over  me,  but  I  repelled  all  their  ad- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  87 

vances  and  would  not  shake  hands  with  one  of  them.  At 
this  they  were  much  crestfallen  and  surprised. 

"  Why  did  you  leave  us  in  this  way  ? "  I  asked  of  the 
principal  ones. 

"  Windagoos,  windagoos  !  "  they  fairly  shouted.  "  When 
you  told  us  about  those  windagoos  who  used  to  eat  the  mis 
sionaries  and  their  people  you  made  us  very  much  afraid, 
and  our  hearts  got  like  water,  and  the  more  we  talked  the 
worse  we  got,  and  so  we  all  hurried  over  here." 

"  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  those  windagoos  were  more  than 
a  hundred  days'  journey  away,  even  with  your  best  canoes?'* 
I  asked. 

"  O,  yes,  you  did,  missionary,"  they  said;  "  but  we  did 
not  know  but  some  of  them  might  have  started  many  days 
ago  to  come  and  catch  us,  and  so  we  hurried  out  here." 

"  And  you  left  your  missionary  and  his  wife  and  their 
little  ones,  whom  you  profess  so  to  love,  behind  to  be  eaten 
by  the  windagoos,  did  you  ?  And  yet  you  say  you  so  love 
us  and  are  so  thankful  we  have  come  to  live  among  you 
and  teach  you  the  good  way.  Why,  I  am  ashamed  of  you. 
Suppose  the  windagoos  had  come  and  no  stalwart  men  had 
been  there  to  help  the  missionary  tight  them  off.  What 
would  he  have  thought  of  your  love  when  he  heard  you  had 
all,  like  a  lot  of  old  grandmothers,  run  away  ?  " 

Heartily  ashamed  of  themselves,  they  speedily  launched 
their  canoes  and  returned  with  me  to  their  village,  and  very 
little  did  we  hear  after  that  about  the  windagoos. 


88  STOKIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE.  SEARCH    FOR   THE    BIBLE TRUTH     STRANGER     THAN     FIC 
TION THE     VISIT     OF       THE     FLATHEAD     INDIANS THEIR 

REQUEST     FOR     THE     BOOK      DENIED — POPERY     STILL     RE 
FUSES  THE    BIBLE  TO   THE  PEOPLE — PATHETIC    SPEECH  OF 

AN    INDIAN THE     TRIBE    DISHEARTENED   AND    SOURED — • 

STORY    OF    MASKEPETOON THE    WARRIOR     CHIEF     INTER 
ESTED  BY  HEARING  THE  STORY  OF    CHRIST'S  FORGIVING 

LOVE HIS  ONLY  SON  MURDERED — MURDERER  FORGIVEN 

— MASKEPETOON    A    CHRISTIAN HIS    USEFUL   LIFE HIS 

TRAGIC    DEATH STORY    OF    THE    OLD    CONJURER THE 

MISSIONARY'S    VISIT — STRANGE    DINNER    AND     ITS     RE 
SULTS POISONS  DESTROYED — THE  CONJURER  CONVERTED 

HIS    LOVE    FOR  THE    WORD. 

T  OXG  years  ago,  in  the  depths  of  winter,  there  appeared 
J-J  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis  four  Flathead  Indians.  They 
carried  in  their  persons  the  evidences  of  many  hardships  and 
of  the  severest  privations.  Bronzed  and  scarred  were  they  by 
the  summer's  heat  and  winter's  pitiless  blast,  for  many  moons 
had  waxed  and  waned  since  they  had  commenced  their  long 
and  dangerous  journey  from  their  own  land,  which  lay  not 
far  from  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Their  trail  had 
led  them  through  the  domains  of  hostile  Indian  tribes.  Thrill 
ing  indeed  had  been  their  adventures,  and  many  had  been  their 
risks  of  losing  both  their  scalps  and  lives.  For  weeks  when 
crossing  the  broad  ranges  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where 
gloomy  defiles  and  dark  recesses  abound  for  hundreds  of 
miles,  they  had  ever  to  be  on  the  alert,  lest  in  an  unguarded 
moment  there  should  spring  out  upon  them  the  panther  or 
mountain  lion  or  rush  upon  them  the  more  dreaded  grizzly  bear. 
But  although  their  very  appearance  bore  pathetic  evidence 
of  their  privations  and  sufferings,  yet  very  little  had  they 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  89 

to  say  about  themselves  or  their  personal  sorrows.  An  all- 
absorbing  longing  had  got  into  their  hearts  to  be  the  possessor 
of  one  thing,  and  this  passion  had  dwarfed  into  insignificance 
every  thing  else  to  them.  There  had  been  implanted  by 
some  chance  seed-sowing  such  a  craving  for  something  to 
satisfy  their  spiritual  natures  that  in  order  to  get  this  for 
which  their  souls  now  longed  they  had  unflinchingly  faced 
all  the  storms  and  dangers  of  that  fearful  journey.  Yet  to 
the  thoughtless  white  men  to  whom  they  first  addressed 
themselves  very  strange  and  meaningless  seemed  the  import 
unate  request  or  petition  of  these  gaunt,  wearied  red  men. 
They  came,  they  said,  from  the  land  of  the  setting  sun; 
across  the  great  snow-clad  mountains  and  the  wide  prairies 
for  many  moons  they  had  traveled  ;  they  had  heard  of  the 
white  man's  God  and  of  the  white  man's  book  of  heaven ;  a 
stranger  had  visited  them  and  had  told  them  things  that  had 
excited  the  whole  tribe.  He  had  told  them  of  the  great  God 
who  had  made  all  things,  and  that  the  white  man  had  a  book 
which  told  all  about  him  and  what  they  were  to  do  to  have 
his  favor.  So  that  they  might  obtain  this  book  they  had 
come  from  their  home  far  away  across  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Thus  strangely  they  pleaded  for  a  copy  of  the  word  of  God. 
Some  persons,  becoming  interested  in  the  appearance  of 
these  strange  Indians  and  their  remarkable  request,  took 
them  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  military  post  in  that 
city,  and  to  him  they  told  their  simple  story  and  besought 
his  aid.  Unfortunately  for  them,  although  the  general  was 
a  kind-hearted  man,  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  so  when 
he  took  them  to  the  bishop  and  priests  of  his  Church,  while 
they  were  received  with  the  greatest  hospitality  and  shown 
the  pictures  of  the  Virgin  Mary  and  of  the  saints,  they  were 
steadily  denied  their  oft-repeated  request  for  the  Bible. 
Caring  for  none  of  these  things,  importunately  did  they  plead 
for  the  book,  but  all  in  vain.  So  exhausting  had  been  the 
journey  that  two  of  the  Indians  died  in  St.  Louis  from  their 
sufferings  and  hardships.  The  other  two  after  a  time  be- 


90  STOKIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

came  discouraged  and  homesick  and  prepared  to  return  to 
their  far-off  home.  Ere  they  left  the  city  a  feast  was  gotten 
up  for  them  and  speeches  were  made,  and  the  general  and 
others  bade  them  "Godspeed"  on  their  journey.  During 
the  addresses  at  the  close  of  the  feast  one  of  the  Indians  was 
asked  to  respond.  His  address  deserves  not  only  to  rank 
among  the  models  of  eloquence,  but  should  be  pondered  over 
as  an  expression  of  the  heart-cry  of  very  many  of  the  weary, 
longing  souls  who,  dissatisfied  with  their  false  religions, 
are  eagerly  crying  out  for  the  true.  They  want  the  book. 
In  this  English  version,  like  all  of  these  highly  figurative 
poetical  Indian  orations,  it  loses  much  in  ,the  translation. 
He  said  : 

"  I  came  to  you  over  the  trail,  of  many  moons  from  the 
land  of  the  setting  sun  beyond  the  great  mountains.  You 
were  the  friends  of  my  fathers,  who  have  all  gone  the  long 
way.  I  come  with  an  eye  partly  opened  for  more  light 
for  my  people  who  sit  in  darkness ;  I  go  back  with  both  eyes 
closed.  How  can  I  go  back  blind  to  my  people  ?  I  made 
my  way  to  you  with  strong  arms  through  many  enemies  and 
strange  lands,  that  I  might  carry  back  much  to  them.  I  go 
back  with  both  arms  broken  and  empty.  Two  fathers  came 
with  us.  They  were  the  braves  of  many  winters  and  wars. 
We  leave  them  asleep  here  by  your  great  water  and  wig 
wams.  They  were  tired  in  many  moons  and  their  moccasins 
were  worn  out.  My  people  -sent  me  to  get  the  white  man's 
book  of  heaven.  You  took  me  where  you  allow  your 
women  to  dance  as  we  would  not  allow  ours,  and  the  book 
was  not  there.  You  took  me  where  they  worship  the  Great 
Spirit  with  candles,  but  the  book  was  not  there.  You 
showed  me  images  of  the  good  spirits  and  pictures  of  the 
good  land  beyond,  but  the  book  was  not  among  them  to  tell 
us  the  way.  I  am  going  back  the  long,  sad  trail  to  my  peo 
ple  of  the  dark  land.  You  make  my  feet  heavy  with  gifts, 
and  my  moccasins  will  grow  old  and  my  arms  tire  in  carry 
ing  them,  yet  the  book  is  not  among  them.  When  I  tell  my 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  91 

poor  blind  people  after  one  more  snow  in  the  big  council 
that  I  did  not  bring  the  book  no  word  will  be  spoken  by 
our  old  men  or  by  our  young  braves.  One  by  one  they  will 
rise  up  and  go  out  in  silence.  My  people  will  die  in  dark 
ness,  and  they  will  go  on  the  long  path  to  other  hunting- 
grounds.  No  good  white  man  will  go  with  them,  and  no 
white  man's  book  to  make  the  way  plain.  I  have  no  more 
words." 

How  sad  and  pathetic  are  these  words,  and  how  unfortu 
nate  it  was  that  these  Indians  should  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  members  of  that  Church  which  refuses  to  give 
the  blessed  book  to  the  people  !  However,  a  young  man  who 
was  present  was  so  impressed  with  the  address  of  this  Indian 
that  he  wrote  to  friends  in  the  Eastern  States  an  account  of 
this  strange  visit  and  the  pathetic  appeal  of  the  Indians  for 
a  Bible.  Some  earnest  Protestants  became  much  interested 
in  the  matter,  but  it  was  two  years  before  a  missionary  started 
with  the  Bible  for  that  land  which  then  lay  many  hundreds 
of  miles  beyond  the  most  western  shores  of  Anglo-Saxon 
civilization. 

Meanwhile  what  had  become  of  the  two  remaining  In 
dians  ?  After  leaving  St.  Louis  for  their  western  home  they 
fell  in  on  the  plains  with  George  Catlin,  the  celebrated 
Indian  artist.  But  although  they  traveled  with  him  for 
many  days,  whether  it  was  from  Indian  reserve  and  stoicism, 
or  that  they  had  become  disheartened  and  discouraged,  they 
did  not  mention  the  object  of  their  visit  to  him.  However, 
he  painted  their  portraits,  and  in  his  famous  collection  they 
have  become  historic  and  are  to  be  seen  numbered  207  and 
208.  After  leaving  Catlin  one  more  of  the  Indians  died, 
and  so  there  was  but  one  survivor  of  the  four  to  return  and 
announce  to  the  Great  Council  the  death  of  his  companions 
and  that  the  white  man  had  refused  them  the  book.  The  tribe 
was  embittered,  and  gave  up  all  hope  of  aid  and  comfort 
from  the  white  man's  God.  From  a  condition  of  eager  long 
ing  to  hear  and  accept  the  teachings  of  the  good  book  they 


92  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

swung  over  to  the  opposite  extreme,  and  so  when  the  mis 
sionaries  at  length  found  these  Indians  they  received  no 
welcome  from  them,  and  found  it  almost  impossible  to  over 
come  the  feelings  of  despair  and  bitterness  which  had  sprung 
up  in  their  hearts  against  the  white  man.  However,  other 
tribes  in  that  same  land  were  more  docile,  and  a  church  and 
manual  labor  schools  were  established,  and  many  of  the  Indi 
ans  become  Christianized  and  civilized.  Rome  refuses  the 
Bible.  Our  glorious  evangelical  Protestant  Churches  love 
to  give  to  all  tribes  and  nationalities  the  blessed  book.  With 
the  open  volume  in  their  hands  our  missionaries  go  forth, 
and  at  many  a  camp-fire  and  in  many  a  wigwam  they  read 
and  expound  its  blessed  truths.  Many  are  their  trials  and 
discouragements,  but  glorious  are  their  triumphs  and  genuine 
are  the  trophies  won.  The  following  story  is  full  of  encour 
agement. 

In  missionary  work  among  the  Indians  of  North  America 
it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  one  of  the  most  difficult  things  to 
banish  out  of  the  hearts  of  those  who  are  influenced  by  the 
truth  is  the  spirit  of  revenge  which  they  harbor  against  all 
who  have  done  them  any  real  or  imaginary  injury.  Very 
few,  except  those  who  have  been  for  years  in  actual  contact 
with  the  North  American  Indians,  can  have  any  conception 
of  the  extremes  to  which  this  feeling  is  carried  and  the  ex 
pedients  to  which  these  red  men  will  resort,  so  blood-thirsty 
and  cruel  are  they  to  retaliate  with  accumulated  interest. 
Some  of  these  blood  feuds  are  handed  down  from  generation 
to  generation,  and  the  dying  father,  who  in  his  life-time  had 
not  been  able  to  wreak  that  vengeance  upon  his  enemies 
which  he  desired,  will  transmit  his  quarrel  to  his  son,  with 
threats  of  direst  maledictions  if  he  fail  to  carry  it  out  if  the 
opportunity  to  do  so  ever  presents  itself. 

The  following  incident  occurred  years  ago  on  the  great 
plains  of  the  Canadian  North-west,  long  before  the  waves  of 
Anglo-Saxon  civilization  began  to  surge  over  those  glorious 
fertile  prairies  which  for  so  many  generations  were  hid  from 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  93 

the  gaze  of  the  outside  busy  world.  Among  the  Indian 
tribes  that  roamed  over  those  vast  regions  the  Crees  in  those 
days  were  perhaps  the  most  numerous  and  powerful.  The 
terrible  small-pox  and  other  epidemic  diseases  had  not  en 
tered  in  among  them,  mowing  them  down  by  thousands, 
leaving  them,  as  they  are  to-day,  but  a  shadow  or  a  wreck 
of  their  former  glory.  The  most  powerful  chief  among  this 
tribe  was  called  Maskepetoon,  or  "Crooked  Arm,"  from  the 
fact  that  one  of  his  arms  had  been  so  hacked  and  wounded  in 
his  hand-to-hand  conflicts  with  his  most  terrible  neighbors, 
the  Blackfeet  Indians,  that,  in  healing,  the  muscles  had  so 
contracted  and  stiffened  that  the  arm  remained  crooked. 
He  was  a  warlike  chief,  and  his  delight  was  in  all  the  ex 
citements  of  Indian  conflicts,  in  cunning  ambuscades,  and, 
when  successful,  in  the  practice  of  unheard-of  barbarities 
upon  the  captives  of  other  tribes  who  fell  into  his  hands. 
Very  picturesque  was  the  dress  of  many  of  these  war 
riors  of  the  plains.  The  quills  of  the  eagle,  which  with 
them  is  considered  the  royal  bird,  formed  the  head-dress. 
Their  shield  was  generally  made  of  the  tough  leather  of  the 
neck  of  an  old  buffalo  bull.  The  clothing,  which  was  most 
elaborately  ornamented  and  fringed,  was  made  of  the  skins  of 
the  deer  or  moose,  most  beautifully  tanned  and  prepared  by 
the  Indian  women.  Some  of  their  horses  were  really  mag 
nificent  animals,  and  marvelously  trained  for  Indian  warfare. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Rundle,  of  the  English  Wesleyan  Missionary 
Society,  was  the  first  missionary  who  at  great  personal  risk 
visited  the  Cree  tribes  and  faithfully  declared  the  message 
of  salvation  to  them.  It  was  news  indeed,  and  startled 
those  wild  prairie  warriors  ;  and  the  question  went  around 
among  them,  ".Where  did  this  little  man  come  from  with 
such  strange  tidings  ?"  The  conjurers  were  called  upon  to 
solve  the  question,  and  the  answer  was  that  he  had  come  di 
rect  from  heaven  wrapped  in  a  large  piece  of  paper. 

The  Rev.  James  Evans,  also,  in  some  of  his  marvelous  trips 
through  that  land  of  "  magnificent  distances " — journeys 


94  STOKIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

that,  as  regards  the  miles  traveled,  very  much  exceeded  any 
of  the  apostolic  journeyings  of  Paul,  the  preaching  tours  of 
John  Wesley,  or  the  episcopal  itinerating  of  Bishop  Asbury — 
visited  Maskepetoon  and  faithfully  preached  to  him  and  his 
people.  Some  accepted  the  truth  and  became  Christians, 
but  Maskepetoon  was  too  fond  of  war  to  quickly  receive  the 
message  of  peace. 

A  number  of  years  later  the  Rev.  George  McDougall 
went  out,  in  prosecution  of  his  missionary  work;  to  those 
mighty  plains,  on  one  of  which  in  after  years  he  so  mysteri 
ously  died.  That  he  might  be  more  successful  in  his  efforts 
to  bring  them  to  Christ,  Mr.  McDougall  frequently  left  his 
own  home,  and  for  months  together  lived  with  these  red 
men  as  they  wandered  over  vast  stretches  of  country,  hunt 
ing  the  buffalo  and  other  game.  His  custom  was  always  to 
have  religious  service  every  evening  where  they  camped  for 
the  night.  These  camp-fire  services  are  quite  an  institution 
in  connection  with  work  among  the  Indians  of  the  different 
tribes.  Their  habits  are  so  migratory  that  it  is  necessary 
that  the  missionary  should  follow  them  up  in  their  various 
haunts  where  they  have  gone  hunting  the  various  kinds  of 
game,  and  gather  them  together  in  larger  or  smaller  numbers 
as  is  possible  and  there  preach  to  them.  At  these  camp-fire 
services  hymns  were  sung,  prayers  were  offered,  and  God's 
word  was  read  and  expounded.  One  evening  Mr.  McDou 
gall  read  as  his  lesson  the  story  of  the  trial  and  death  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  He  dwelt  particularly  upon  the  prayer  of  the 
Saviour  for  his  murderers,  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do,"  and,  well  aware  of  the  Indian  spirit 
of  revenge  that  was  so  prominent  in  the  hearts  of  his  hearers, 
he  dwelt  strongly  upon  it,  and  plainly  told  them  that  if  they 
really  expected  forgiveness  from  the  Great  Spirit  they  must 
have  the  same  mind  that  was  in  Christ,  and  forgive  their 
enemies.  Maskepetoon  was  observed  to  be  deeply  moved 
under  the  sermon,  but  nothing  was  said  to  him  that  evening. 
The  next  day,  as  the  great  company,  consisting  of  many  hun- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  95 

dreds,  was  riding  along  over  the  beautiful  prairies,  an  Indian 
chief  rode  quickly  to  the  side  of  Mr.  McDougall,  and  in  quiet 
but  excited  tones  asked  him  to  fall  back  in  the  rear,  as  they 
did  not  wish  him,  the  missionary,  to  witness  the  torture  and 
killing  of  a  man  who  was  in  that  little  band  of  Indians  that 
was  approaching  them,  although  still  so  far  away  as  to  be 
almost  undistinguishable  to  the  eyes  of  a  white  man. 

It  seems  that  months  before  this  Maskepetoon  had  sent 
his  son  across  a  mountain  range  or  pass  to  bring  from  a 
sheltered  valley  a  herd  of  horses  which  had  there  wintered. 
Very  sublime  and  magnificent  is  some  of  the  Rocky  Mount 
ain  scenery.  Travelers  who  have  visited  the  Alps  and 
other  picturesque  mountainous  regions  declare  that  some 
of  the  views  in  the  Canadian  "Rockies"  are  not  excelled 
in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  Tourists  in  ever-increasing 
numbers  are  availing  themselves  of  the  opportunities  pre 
sented  by  the  completion  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway 
through  and  across  those  sublime  mountains  to  there  see 
these  magnificent  fir-clad,  snow-capped  objects  of  the  Cre 
ator's  handiword.  Among  the  foot-hills  of  these  mountains 
are  many  beautiful  valleys,  where  the  grass  and  herbage 
abound  all  the  year,  and  it  was  in  one  of  them  that  Maske- 
petnon  had  kept  his  reserved  horses.  He  selected  one  of  his 
warriors  as  his  son's  comrade  to  aid  him  in  the  work.  From 
what  afterward  was  found  out  it  seems  that  the  man,  having 
a  chance  to  sell  the  horses,  his  cupidity  was  excited,  and  so 
he  murdered  the  chief's  son,  disposed  of  the  horses,  and  hid 
ing  for  the  time  his  booty  returned  to  the  tribe  with  the 
plausible  story  that  when  they  were  coming  across  one  of 
the  dangerous  passes  in  the  mountains  the  young  man  lost 
his  foothold  and  fell  over  one  of  the  awful  precipices,  and 
was  dashed  to  pieces,  and  that  he  alone  was  unable  to 
manage  the  herd  of  horses,  and  so  they  had  scattered  on 
the  plains. 

Knowing  nothing  at  the  time  to  the  contrary,  Maskepe 
toon  and  his  people  were  obliged  to  accept  this  story,  im- 


96  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

probable  as  it  seemed.  However,  the  truth  came  out  after 
a  while,  for  there  had  been,  unknown  to  the  murderer,  wit 
nesses  of  the  tragedy.  And  now,  for  the  first  time  since  the 
truth  had  been  revealed,  the  father  was  approaching  the 
band  in  which  was  the  murderer  of  his  son.  That  the  mis 
sionary  might  not  see  the  dire  vengeance  that  would  be 
wreaked  upon  the  culprit  was  the  reason  why  this  subordi 
nate  chief  had  requested  Mr.  McDougall  to  slacken  his  pace 
and  fall  into  the  rear  of  the  crowd.  Instead  of  doing  so  he 
quickened  the  speed  of  his  horse  and  rode  up  to  a  position 
a  little  in  the  rear  of  the  mighty  chief,  who,  splendidly 
mounted,  was  leading  the  van  of  his  warriors.  On  they  gal 
loped  over  the  beautiful  green  sward,  the  missionary's  heart 
uplifted  in  prayer  that  the  wrath  of  man  might  be  turned  to 
the  praise  of  God.  When  the  two  bands  approached  within 
a  few  hundred  yards  of  each  other  the  eagle  eye  of  the  old 
warrior  chief  detected  the  murderer,  and,  drawing  his  toma 
hawk  from  his  belt,  he  rode  up  until  he  was  face  to  face 
with  the  man.  who  had  done  him  the  greatest  injury  that  it 
was  possible  to  inflict  upon  him.  Mr.  McDougall,  who  still 
kept  near  enough  to  hear  and  see  all  that  transpired,  says 
that  Maskepetoon,  with  a  voice  tremulous  with  suppressed 
feeling,  and  yet  with  an  admirable  command  over  himself, 
looking  the  man  in  the  face  who  had  nearly  broken  his  heart, 
thus  sternly  addressed  him:  "You  have  murdered  my  boy, 
and  you  deserve  to  die.  I  picked  you  out  as  his  trusted 
companion  and  gave  you  the  post  of  honor  as  his  comrade, 
and  you  have  betrayed  my  trust  and  cruelly  killed  my  only 
son.  You  have  done  me  and  the  tribe  the  greatest  injury 
possible  for  a  man  to  do,  for  you  have  broken  my  heart  and 
you  have  destroyed  him  who  was  to  have  succeeded  rne  when 
I  am  not  among  the  living.  You  deserve  to  die,  and  but 
for  what  I  heard  from  the  missionary  last  night  at  the  camp- 
fire  before  this  I  would  have  buried  this  tomahawk  in  your 
brains.  The  missionary  told  us  that  if  we  expected  the 
Great  Spirit  to  forgive  us  we  must  forgive  our  enemies,  even 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  97 

those  who  had  done  us  the  greatest  wrong.  You  have  been 
my  worst  enemy,  and  you  deserve  to  die."  Then,  in  a  voice 
tremulous  with  deepest  emotion,  he  added,  "  As  I  hope  the 
Great  Spirit  will  forgive  me  I  forgive  you."  Then,  speak 
ing  up  sternly,  he  added,  "  But  go  immediately  from  among 
my  people,  and  let  me  never  see  your  face  again."  Then 
hastily  pulling  up  his  war-bonnet  over  his  head  his  forced 
calmness  gave  way,  and,  quivering  with  the  suppressed 
feelings  that  tore  his  heart,  he  bowed  down  over  his  horse's 
neck  and  gave  way  to  an  agony  of  tears. 

"  Talk  not  of  grief  till  thou  hast  seen 
The  tears  of  warlike  men." 

Maskepetoon  lived  for  years  afterward  the  life  of  a  de 
voted,  consistent  Christian.  All  his  old  warlike  habits  were 
given  up,  and,  mastering  the  syllabic  characters  in  which 
the  Cree  Bible  is  printed,  the  word  of  God  became  his  solace 
and  his  joy.  He  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  doing 
good.  Very  earnest  and  thrilling  were  the  addresses  which 
he  gave  to  his  own  people  as  he  urged  them  to  give  up  all 
their  old  sinful  ways  and  become  followers  of  that  Saviour 
who  had  so  grandly  saved  him.  Many  listened  to  his  words, 
and,  like  him,  gave  up  their  old  warlike  habits  and  settled 
down  to  quiet,  peaceful  lives.  Anxious  to  benefit  his  old 
enemies,  the  Blackfeet,  and  to  tell  to  them  the  story  of  the 
Saviour's  love,  he  fearlessly  and  unarmed  went  among  them 
with  his  Bible  in  his  hand.  A  blood-thirsty  chief  of  that 
vindictive  tribe  saw  him  coming,  and,  remembering  some  of 
their  fierce  conflicts  of  other  days,  and  perhaps  having  lost 
by  Maskepetoon's  prowess  some  of  his  own  relations  in 
those  conflicts,  he  seized  his  gun,  and  in  defiance  of  all  rules 
of  humanity  he  coolly  shot  the  converted  Christian  chieftain 
down. 

Thus  sadly  fell  Maskepetoon,  a  wondrous  trophy  of  the 
cross,  and  one  whose  conversion  did  a  vast  amount  of  good, 
showing  the  power  of  the  Gospel  to  change  the  hardest 


98  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

heart  and  to  enable  the  warlike  savage  to  conquer  so  thor 
oughly  the  besetting  sin  of  the  Indian  character,  even  under 
the  most  extreme  provocation,  where  very  few  indeed  could 
have  found  fault  if  the  price  of  blood  had  been  exacted  and 
the  murderer  summarily  executed. 

Far  away  in  the  forest  wilds,  several  hundreds  of  miles- 
north-east  of  the  city  of  Winnipeg,  there  dwelt  in  an  Indian 
village  a  notorious  old  conjurer.  His  reputation  was  very 
bad  among  the  people.  To  the  deadly  effects  of  his  poisons 
the  sudden  deaths  of  numbers  of  the  Indians  were  ascribed,, 
and  many  a  maimed  and  disfigured  Indian  in  secret  muttered 
his  denunciations  against  this  wicked  old  man  and  blamed 
his  "  bad  medicine  "  as  the  cause  of  all  his  troubles. 

When  reports  reached  him  that  the  missionary  with  the 
great  book  was  going  around  through  the  land  among  the 
Indians,  traveling  in  summer  in  a  birch  canoe  and  in  winter 
with  his  dog-trains,  and  that  scores,  and  in  some  places  hun 
dreds,  of  the  people  were  gladly  listening  to  his  words  and 
giving  up  the  old  habits  as  well  as  the  old  religion  of  their 
fathers  and  accepting  Christianity,  the  heart  of  this  old  con 
jurer  was  filled  with  wrath,  and  he  declared  that  if  ever  that 
missionary  come  to  their  village  neither  he  nor  the  Indians 
who  brought  him  should  leave  the  place  alive. 

So  remote  and  apparently  inaccessible  was  the  Indian 
band  that  years  passed  away  before  it  seemed  possible  for 
the  missionary  to  make  the  long  journey  to  that  place.  It  so 
happened,  however,  that  the  same  year  the  missionary  heard 
of  the  old  conjurer's  threat,  that  summer  the  way  opened  by 
which  two  Christian  canoe-men  could  be  secured  to  go  with 
him  on  the  perilous  journey — perilous  in  more  ways  than 
one.  The  dangers  of  the  way  and  the  old  conjurer's  threats 
were  all  talked  over,  and  then  with  their  eyes  open  as  to  the 
character  of  the  undertaking,  and  earnestly  seeking  the  di 
vine  blessing,  they  began  the  trip.  They  were  twelve  days 
on  the  way.  Of  course  it  was  impossible  to  carry  in  a  birch- 
bark  canoe  sufficient  food  to  last  for  such  an  extended  trip. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  99 

However,  as  they  were  armed  with  a  good  rifle  and  shotgun, 
and  had  plenty  of  ammunition,  and  much  game  abounded  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  they  had  abundance  of  food.  So 
full  of  rapids  and  falls  were  the  rivers  that  they  had  to 
make  over  fifty  portages  during  the  trip.  At  these  obstruc 
tions  one  Indian  would  carry  the  canoe  on  his  head  around 
the  rapids  until  he  reached  the  smooth  water  beyond.  The 
other  Indian  and  the  missionary  would  carry  the  blankets, 
kettles,  guns,  and  other  things  which  made  up  the  load. 
Then  all  would  be  re-arranged  and  on  they  would  go.  It 
was  not  an  unpleasant  trip  during  the  fine  weather,  although 
the  mosquitoes  and  flies  were  very  numerous.  When  it 
rained,  however,  it  was  somewhat  trying.  They  had  no 
tent,  and  there  was  not  to  be  met  with  on  the  whole  trip  a 
single  house.  Several  times  were  they  drenched  to  the  skin 
and  had  to  remain  so,  which  was  on  one  occasion  for  several 
days,  until  the  warm  sun  came  out  and  dried  them  with  its 
welcome  rays.  Their  bed  was  made  where  night  happened 
to  overtake  them.  A  smooth  granite  rock  was  preferred, 
although  there  were  times  when  even  this  could  not  be  found. 
At  length,  after  a  variety  of  adventures  they  drew  near  the 
end  of  the  journey.  When  about  six  miles  from  the  Indian 
village  the  hearts  of  the  two  Indian  canoe-men  seemed  to 
fail  them,  and,  to  the  missionary's  surprise,  they  wanted  to 
turn  around  and  go  back. 

"  What  !  "  said  the  missionary,  "  come  at  least  two  hun 
dred  and  ninety-four  miles  and  not  travel  the  other  six ! 
Never  !  Let  us  go  on." 

Vainly  they  pleaded  their  fears  of  the  old  medicine-man 
and  his  terrible  deeds  and  threats.  However,  the  missionary 
was  firm,  and  so  the  men  yielded,  while  he  appealed  to  their 
manhood  and  promise  to  him  ere  they  left  home.  He  also 
cheered  them  with  quoting  some  of  the  promises  of  God, 
whose  servants  they  all  were,  and  for  whose  glory  and  the 
good  of  these  poor  people  this  journey  was  undertaken. 
Encouraged  by  these  things,  the  paddles  were  resumed  until 


100  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

the  wigwams  of  the  Indians  were  visible  in  the  distance. 
Then  resting  on  their  paddles  the  faithful  Indians  said  : 

"  Missionary,  there  is  one  thing  we  want  to  ask  of  you. 
You  know  we,  like  you,  have  left  our  wives  and  children 
behind  and  came  on  this  dangerous  journey.  How  could  we 
think  of  going  back  if  any  thing  should  happen  to  you  ? 
We  think  we  can  take  care  of  ourselves,  but  our  great  fear 
is  about  you.  This  old  conjurer  with  his  '  bad  medicine '  is 
very  wicked  and  cunning.  What  we  want  you  to  promise  us 
is  that  you  will  not  eat  any  food  except  as  we  prepare  it  for 
you." 

While  admiring  their  devotion,  the  missionary  only 
laughed  at  their  fears  and  said  :  "  You  make  my  heart  very 
warm  toward  you  for  your  love  and  anxiety  about  me,  but 
I  have  another  plan  in  my  mind.  I  think  I  will  eat  with 
that  wicked  old  conjurer  before  the  sun  goes  down." 
They  were  amazed  at  this,  and  protested  most  earnestly. 
Very  blood-curdling  were  some  of  the  things  they  had  heard 
about  this  bad  man  and  his  medicines,  so  powerful  that  a 
little  dropped  into  the  food  would  cause  death  in  a  few 
minutes.  However,  the  missionary  was  firm,  as  he  had 
decided  on  another  method  for  dealing  with  this  old  Indian, 
whose  reputation  was  so  bad,  than  that  very  timid  one 
suggested  by  his  faithful  canoe-men. 

Another  half -hour's  paddling  brought  them  into  the  Indian 
village.  It  was  small  and  poor  and  looked  like  a  place 
blighted  and  cursed.  Quite  a  number  of  careworn  and  sad- 
looking  women  and  children  were  around;  but  very  few  men 
were  visible.  However,  the  majority  of  them  seemed  pleased 
to  see  the  missionary,  although  some  quickly  began  to  speak 
out  their  fears  that  his  life  was  in  danger  on  account  of  the 
threats  of  the  old  medicine-man.  "  Where  is  the  wigwam  of 
this  old  medicine-man  about  whom  I  hear  so  much  ?  "  said 
the  missionary.  His  tent  was  pointed  out.  It  stood  off  by 
itself  in  a  gloomy-looking  place,  and  toward  it  the  mission 
ary,  taking  with  him  a  few  things,  immediately  started  alone. 


AND  NORTHER^  CAMP-FIRES.  101 

When  he  reached  it  he  pulled-  aside  -the blanket:;  wldcli  served 
as  the  door,  and,  stooping  down  to  avoid  striking  his  head 
against  the  poles,  he  entered.  So  gloomy  and  dark  was  the 
interior  that  it  was  a  few  seconds  before  the  missionary, 
coming  in  out  of  the  bright,  dazzling  sunlight,  could  clearly 
make  out,  or  rather  take  in,  the  situation.  However,  he 
soon  observed  the  object  of  his  search  sitting  on  the  ground 
directly  opposite.  With  some  tea  and  tobacco  the  mission 
ary  went  over  in  front  of  him,  and,  reaching  out  his  right 
hand,  he  cheerily  addressed  him  in  the  Indian  way,  saying, 
"  What  cheer,  mismis  ?  "  which  in  English  is,  "  How  do  you 
do,  grandfather?  "  But  the  old  man,  who  by  some  fleet  run 
ner  had  already  been  informed  of  the  missionary's  arrival, 
with  a  growl  of  disapprobation  refused  to  shake  hands  with 
the  white  man  who  had  thus  dared  to  brave  his  wrath  and 
crowd  himself  into  his  wigwam.  But  the  missionary  was  not 
to  be  thus  easily  rebuffed,  and  so,  stooping  down  quickly,  he 
caught  hold  of  the  Indian's  hand  and  shook  it  heartily  in  a 
pump-handle  sort  of  a  style.  While  vigorously  doing  so  he 
began  talking  to  the  old  man,  saying,  among  other  things, 
"  What  cheer,  mismis,  what  cheer  ?  I  am  not  your  enemy, 
but  your  friend.  I  have  come  all  this  long  way  to  do  you 
good.  Our  feet  have  been  sore  and  our  hands  blistered. 
Our  bones  have  ached  with  the  hardships  of  the  journey. 
We  have  been  drenched  by  the  rains  and  have  tried  to  sleep 
in  our  wet  clothes  as  we  lay  down  on  the  rocks,  while  in  the 
distance  we  have  heard  the  howlings  of  the  gray  wolves. 
We  came  not  to  buy  your  furs  or  to  trade  with  you,  but  to 
do  you  good.  The  Great  Spirit  has  given  us  white  people 
his  book,  and  as  its  wonderful  story  is  for  his  red  children 
too  we  have  come  to  tell  it  to  you.  You  had  better  listen 
and  let  us  be  friends.  It  is  true  you  will  have  to  change  your 
life,  and  you  will  have  to  stop  your  drumming  and  conjuring 
and  burn  your  bad  medicines  and  make  your  own  living  by 
hunting  and  fishing  as  do  the  other  Indians."  Still  he  re 
fused,  and  so  the  missionary  adopted  another  plan.  He  took 


7  02  STORIES  FR  OM  INDIA  N  WIG  WA  MS 

a  large  pMgVf 'tobacco  raiRT  pfcced  it  in  his  hands.  Tobacco 
among  Indians  is  like  salt  among  the  Arabs.  If  he  accepted  his 
tobacco  he  must  be  his  friend,  and  would  not  dare  to  injure 
him  while  in  his  wigwam.  For  a  time  he  refused  to  accept 
it,  but  the  white  man  continued  talking  kindly  to  him,  but 
all  he  could  get  in  response  were  his  growls  of  annoyance. 
"Take  it,  grandfather,"  he  said;  "I  never  use  the  stuff  my 
self,  but  those  who  do  say  this  is  a  very  good  kind." 

Perhaps  fortunately  for  the  missionary  the  old  man's  sup 
ply  had  run  out  a  few  days  before,  and  so  his  appetite  was 
proportionally  keen  for  the  narcotic,  and  after  a  little  more 
persuasion  his  hand  closed  upon  it  and  the  missionary  knew 
he  had  him.  Then  taking  up  a  pound  package  of  tea  the 
missionary  said,  looking  up  to  some  dirty  dried  meat  that 
hung  in  shreds  like  straps  across  a  pole,  "You  have  meat  and 
I  have  tea.  You  furnish  the  meat  and  I  will  the  tea,  and  we 
will  eat  together." 

A  gleam  of  malignant  triumph  passed  over  his  face  as  he 
seemed  to  say  to  himself,  "  Is  this  missionary  such  a  fool  as 
to  thus  put  it  into  my  power  to  so  easily  poison  him  ?  "  The 
missionary  had  observed  that  look  and  had  read  its  meaning, 
and  so  he  said,  "Never  mind  your  poisons.  I  come  as  a 
stranger  and  challenge  you  to  a  dinner,  if  you  furnish  part. 
Never  mind  your  fire-bag  with  its  bad  medicines  about  which 
you  are  thinking,  and  let  us  as  friends  eat  and  drink  together." 

The  old  fellow  fairly  quailed  under  those  words,  especially 
at  the  reference  to  his  bad  medicines,  and  began  to  think 
that  the  man  who  could  thus  read  his  innermost  thoughts  must 
be  a  bigger  conjurer  than  he  was  himself.  So  turning  quickly 
to  his  old  wife,  who  was  crouched  down  on  the  ground  a 
little  way  from  him,  he  ordered  her  to  take  the  tea  and  get 
down  some  meat  and  prepare  the  dinner.  She  quickly  set  to 
work.  The  meat  was  dirty,  but  she  did  not  stop  to  wash  it. 
Dirty  and  dusty  as  it  was  it  was  soon  in  a  pot  over  a  fire 
quickly  kindled.  In  a  half  sulky  manner  the  old  man  invited 
the  missionary  to  sit  down  beside  him,  and  they  talked  about 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  103 

various  things  until  the  dinner  was  ready,  and  then  together 
did  the  missionary  and  that  old  conjurer  eat  and  drink.  The 
old  fellow  said  the  meat  was  venison;  the  missionary  thought, 
and  still  thinks,  it  was  dog-flesh;  but  what  it  was  is  of  very 
little  consequence.  The  old  conjurer  was  conquered,  and 
not  long  after  burned  his  fire-bag  and  bad  medicines  and  be 
came  a  sincere,  earnest  Christian.  Only  twice  a  year  could 
the  missionary  visit  that  distant  region;  but  whether  he 
came  by  canoe  in  summer  or  dog-train  in  winter  no  one 
could  give  him  a  more  cordial  welcome  than  did  the  once 
notoriously  wicked  conjurer,  but  now  the  earnest,  consistent 
Christian.  He  followed  the  missionary  around  like  a  shadow. 
He  heard  every  sermon  and  address.  He  acted  as  guide  to 
the  different  wigwams  where  personal  visitation  and  talks 
could  influence  unconverted  ones  to  decide  for  Christ.  He 
also  took  the  missionary  to  the  homes  of  the  sick  and  sorrow 
ing  ones,  and  drank  in  with  avidity  the  sweet  promises  of 
the  word  of  God  which  were  there  quoted  and  the  prayers 
there  offered.  Sometimes  so  hungry  did  he  seem  for  every 
thing  spiritual  that  he  would  follow  the  missionary  to  the 
spot  where  he  was  about  to  unroll  his  camp-bed  and  rest 
after  the  day  of  this  blessed  toil.  And  when  he  bowed  in 
prayer  ere  he  wrapped  himself  for  sleep  the  old  man  would 
kneel  beside  him  and  softly  whisper,  "  Missionary,  please 
pray  out  loud,  and  pray  in  my  language,  so  that  I  can  un 
derstand  you."  And  then  again  at  the  morning  devotions, 
no  matter  how  early  they  were,  the  now  dear  old  saint  was 
there,  and  again  his  earnest  words  were,  "  Please,  missionary, 
pray  out  loud,  and  pray  in  my  language,  so  that  I  can  under 
stand  you."  Such  genuine  conversions  repay  a  thousand 
fold  for  all  the  risks  run  and  privations  endured.  Very 
blessed  indeed  is  it  to  be  able  to  quote  Paul's  words  and  say, 
"  Now  thanks  be  unto  God,  which  always  causeth  us  to  tri 
umph  in  Christ,  and  maketh  manifest  the  savor  of  his  knowl 
edge  by  us  in  every  place." 


104  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

VISIT  OF  A   DEPUTATION  OF    STRANGE    INDIANS LOOKING  FOR 

A      MISSIONARY ABLE      TO       READ       THE      GOOD      BOOK — 

TAUGHT  BY   OUR  CHRISTIAN    HUNTERS OBTAINED  BIBLES, 

THEN      TAUGHT    THEIR      OWN     PEOPLE LONGING    FOR  IN 
STRUCTION STORY     OF     THE      ETHIOPIAN     EUNUCH     HERE 

REPEATED VISIT    THEM HUNGRY    FOR  THE    TRUTH. 

I  WAS  sitting  in  my  study  one  day  when  noiselessly  and 
quietly  there  came  filing  into  the  room  a  dozen  or  more 
stalwart  Indians.  I  greeted  them  kindly  and  bade  them 
welcome.  On  scanning  their  faces  I  observed  that  they 
were  all  entire  strangers.  Seating  them  as  well  as  the  limited 
accommodations  of  my  little  study  would  admit,  I  began  a 
conversation  with  them.  They  were  a  fine-looking  lot  of 
men,  with  characteristic  Indian  faces.  After  a  few  common 
place  remarks  had  passed  between  us  I  became  anxious  to 
know  who  they  were  and  what  was  the  special  object  of  their 
present  visit.  So,  addressing  the  one  who  seemed  to  be  the 
principal  man  among  them,  I  asked: 

"  Where  do  you  live  ? " 

"  Very  far  away,"  he  replied. 

"  How  far  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Thirteen  nights  away,"  he  said. 

The  Indians  compute  long  distances  by  the  number  of 
nights  they  spend  on  their  journey.  So,  to  see  me,  these 
Indians  had,  in  their  birch-bark  canoes,  traveled  fourteen 
days  down  great  rivers  and  across  stormy  lakes. 

"What  is  your  object  in  coming  so  far?"  I  asked. 

Very  decidedly  one  of  them  spoke  up  and  said,  "  We  have 
come  for  you  !  " 

"  For  what  purpose  do  you  want  me  ?  "  I  asked,  beginning 
to  get  interested  by  the  earnestness  of  these  stalwart  men. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  105 

"  Why,"  they  answered,  "we  have  the  great  book  and 
can  read  it,  but  we  do  not  know  what  it  means." 

"O,  I  am  delighted  to  hear  that  you  have  the  great 
book  and  can  read  it,"  I  said;  "  and  of  course  you  have  had  a 
missionary  who  has  taught  you  to  read." 

Their  answer  amazed  me  :  "  You  are  the  first  missionary 
we  ever  sawT." 

"  Then  you  have  had  a  teacher  who  lias  instructed 
you?" 

"  What  is  a  teacher  ?  "  was  the  questioning  reply.  So  I 
explained  to  them  what  a  teacher  was,  and  to  this  they  said, 
"  We  have  never  seen  one  as  yet." 

Becoming  intensely  interested  now  in  these  children  of  the 
forest,  I  replied  with  a  certain  amount  of  inquiry  and  per 
haps  incredulity  in  my  voice,  "  Do  you,  who  have  never  had 
a  missionary  or  teacher,  pretend  to  tell  me  that  you  can  read 
the  great  book?" 

Quietly  they  answered,  "  We  can  read  the  great  book." 

To  put  them  to  a  test  was  an  easy  matter,  and  so,  picking 
up  my  Indian  Bible — printed  in  Rev.  James  Evans's  beauti 
ful  syllabic  characters — I  opened  it  and  said  to  one  of  them, 
"  Read." 

Without  any  hesitancy  he  began,  and  read  without  mak 
ing  a  single  mistake.  Then  I  tried  another  and  another, 
and  found,  to  my  great  delight,  that  these  Indians  from  that 
distant  and  lonely  forest  retreat  were  all  able  to  read  in  their 
own  tongue  the  holy  word. 

"Tell  me,"  I  said,  "how  did  you  thus  learn  to  read  the 
good  book  ?  " 

This  was  their  story  of  how  they  had  come  into  this  great 
privilege.  Would  that  I  could  describe  the  picturesque  and 
dramatic  way  in  which  the  spokesman  of  the  party  told  it 
to  me  that  day  in  my  study!  The  substance  is  as  follows: 

"  Missionary,  you  know  hunters  roam  over  a  great  extent 
of  country  looking  for  game.  So,  although  our  village  is 
many  nights  away,  yet  in  our  winter  huntings  some  of  us 


106  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

come  up  a  good  many  miles  this  way;  and  a  few  of  your 
Indian  fur-hunters  go  many  days  down  toward  our  country, 
and  so  some  of  them  hunt  near  our  hunting-grounds.  Well, 
as  we  all  talk  the  same  language  and  are  at  peace  with  each 
other,  when  we  have  made  our  little  hunting  wigwams  and 
set  our  traps  and  got  every  thing  ready  for  catching  the  wild 
animals,  and  then  while  waiting  for  them  to  come  into  the 
traps,  we  often  have  days  when  there  is  nothing  to  do. 
These  days  we  would  employ  visiting  other  Indians,  and 
among  those  we  visited  were  some  of  your  Christian  Indians 
from  this  mission.  They  always  received  us  very  kindly, 
and  we  had  some  pleasant  talks.  We  found  that  they  had 
with  them  their  Bibles,  and,  when  not  "busy  at  their  work, 
they  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  in  reading  them.  As  we 
were  very  ignorant  we  thought  they  were  very  foolish  in 
spending  so  much  time  in  that  way  ;  and  so  we  urged  them 
to  shut  up  their  books  and  gamble  with  us,  as  we  used  to  do. 
But  they  said:  '  Since  we  have  become  Christians  we  have 
flung  all  our  dice  and  gambling  stones  into  the  fire.  We 
find  that  we  cannot  be  Christians  and  gamble;  and  since  we 
have  learned  to  read  this  book  we  find  more  pleasure  in  it 
than  we  ever  did  in  our  old  foolish  games.'  They  would 
read  to  us  out  of  the  great  book  and  we  became  very  much 
interested,  for  they  read  about  the  creation,  and  Noah,  and 
Joseph,  and  David,  and  Daniel,  and  Jesus,  and  many  others, 
until  we  found  ourselves  going  there  every  day  we  could 
spare  from  our  huntings,  even  if  some  of  us  had  many  miles 
to  walk  on  our  snow-shoes  through  the  great  cold. 

"  Our  hunting  season,  you  know,  lasts  many  months,  and  so 
we  had  time  to  make  many  visits.  When  your  Christian 
people  saw  that  we  were  so  interested  in  what  they  read  to 
us  they  said,  f  Would  you  not  like  to  learn  to  read  for  your 
selves  ? '  and  of  course  we  said,  '  Yes.'  So  they  began  teach 
ing  us.  It  seemed  strange  to  us  that  we,  who  had  thought  it 
was  all  such  foolishness  a  short  time  before,  should  be  now 
seated  in  their  wigwams  and  hard  at  work  learning  a,  e,  oo, 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  107 

.ah;  pa,  pe,  poo,  pah;  ta,  te,  too,  tali,  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
characters  which  your  Indians  had  marked  out  for  us  on 
pieces  of  birch-bark  with  a  burnt  stick.  But  we  had  got 
hungry  to  know  for  ourselves,  and  when  wre  found  that 
'ma'  and  'ni'  and  'to'  put  together  meant  'Manito,'  'the 
Great  Spirit,'  then  indeed  we  were  excited  and  studied 
hard  to  know  more.  So  we  worked  away,  and  your  good 
Christian  people  were  kind  and  so  patient  with  us,  and  so 
pleased  that  our  stubbornness  was  gone  and  we  were  willing 
to  sit  at  their  feet  and  learn.  And  very  often  did  they  pray 
with  us  and  tell  us  of  some  of  the  wonderful  things  that 
were  in  the  great  book  besides  its  stories  of  warriors  and 
•other  great  men  that  had  at  first  excited  our  curiosity. 
Well,  before  the  snow  began  to  get  soft  and  the  time  came 
for  us  to  return  to  our  village  with  our  furs  some  of  us  had 
made  such  progress  in  our  study  that  we  could  slowly  read 
the  great  book.  That  spring,  as  soon  as  the  snow  and  ice 
left  the  great  rivers  and  lakes,  a  number  of  us  decided  to 
take  our  furs,  as  we  had  been  very  successful  in  our  hunt 
ings,  all  the  way  down  to  York  Factory,  on  the  Hudson  Bay, 
:as  the  prices  were  better  there.  It  took  us  many  days  to  go, 
but  there  was  plenty  of  game  and  fish,  so  we  had  a  good 
trip  down.  We  reached  York  Factory  with  our  furs,  and  ex 
changed  them  for  what  we  needed  for  ourselves  and  fami 
lies.  One  day  before  we  returned  the  gentleman  in  charge 
,of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  post  said  to  us:  'There  have 
.come  out  for  Mr.  Young,  the  missionary  at  Norway  House,  a 
lot  of  Indian  Bibles  from  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So 
ciety  in  London.  Now,  if  you  Indians  could  only  read,  and 
would  try  and  get  some  good  out  of  them,  I  am  sure  Mr. 
Young  would  be  glad  to  have  me  give  you  some  of  these 
good  books.'  When  we  heard  this  our  hearts  were  glad,  and 
we  told  him  some  of  us  had  learned  to  read  the  great  book 
and  we  would  be  so  thankful  to  get  them  and  would  do  the  best 
we  could  with  them.  When  he  heard  this  he  said  he  was 
pleased  we  had  learned  to  read,  and  then  he  gave  us  a  lot  of 
9 


108  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

the  books,  at  which  our  hearts  were  made  very  glad.  We 
carried  them  safely  in  our  canoes  up  the  great  rivers  and 
around  the  portages  until  we  reached  our  homes  and  people. 
There  was  great  excitement  about  them.  Even  some  of  our 
oldest  people  had  never  seen  a  Bible  before.  Some  of  the 
old  conjurers  and  medicine-men  were  angry  with  us  for 
bringing  them,  but  most  of  the  people  were  glad,  for  they 
had  heard  from  some  of  our  hunters  who  had  not  gone  with 
us  to  York  Factory  of  some  of  the  wonderful  stories  which 
had  been  told  them,  by  the  Christian  Indians.  At  first  we 
hardly  knew  what  to  do  with  the  books.  Then  we  decided 
that  those  who,  during  the  winter,  had  learned  to  read 
should  each  have  one,  and  that  they  should  teach  others ; 
and  as  fast  as  any  one  could  read,  even  if  only  a  little,  he 
should  get  his  own  book. 

"  So  anxious  were  our  people  to  learn,  and  so  well  did  they 
get  on,  that  the  books  are  all  distributed.  We  are  very 
thankful  for  them,  but  we  want  somebody  to  teach  us  what 
we  are  reading.  We  love  the  book,  but  we  want  somebody 
to  make  it  plain  to  us.  We  are  like  one  who  has  found  an 
instrument  which  makes  music.  We  get  a  sweet  sound  here 
and  another  there,  but  we  have  never  had  any  teaching,  and 
so  we  cannot  play  it  aright.  So  with  this  great  book  which 
we  have  learned  to  read  and  which  we  have  in  our  midst, 
we  are  very  ignorant  about  it,  and  so  we  have  come  all  this 
way  to  ask  you  to  come  to  our  land  and  tell  us  what  these 
things  mean  about  which  we  are  reading." 

With  mingled  feelings  of  surprise  and  delight  I  listened 
to  this  marvelous  narrative.  It  was  the  story  of  the  Ethio 
pian  eunuch  over  again,  but  multiplied  many  fold.  Like  him 
they  had  the  word  and  were  interested  in  it;  but  how  could 
they  understand,  never  having  had  any  one  to  guide  them  ? 
And  so  they  had  sent  this  deputation  hundreds  of  miles 
through  the  pathless  forest  to  find  out  one  who  could  begin 
at  the  same  Scripture  and  "  preach  unto  them  Jesus."  My 
heart  went  out  to  them  at  once,  and  I  felt  that  He  who  had 


AND  NORTPIERN  CAMP-FIRES.  109 

sent  the  angel  unto  Philip  with  the  message,  "  Arise  and  go 
toward  the  south  unto  the  way  that  goeth  down  from  Jeru 
salem  unto  Gaza,  which  is  desert,"  there  to  find  one  man 
longing  after  light  upon  the  sacred  volume,  had  surely  sent 
these  messengers  for  me  to  go  on  a  similar  blessed  mission. 

If  these  Indians,  longing  for  instruction,  had  lived  in  a, 
land  of  railroads  or  even  ordinary  highways,  the  matter  of 
visiting  them  could  have  been  easily  arranged,  but,  unfortu 
nately,  it  was  just  the  reverse.  No  surveyor  had  as  yet- 
passed  through  that  land.  There  is  not  a  mile  of  road  laid 
out  in  a  region  of  many  thousand  square  miles;  and  so  only 
by  a  birch-bark  canoe,  manned  by  two  Indians,  could  I  visit 
them  in  the  summer-time,  and  even  then  perhaps  not  be 
able  to  travel  as  rapidly  as  these  experienced  men  whose 
lives  had  been  spent  in  those  wild  regions. 

If  I  delayed  until  winter  I  could  find  one  of  those  fur-hunt 
ers  who  was  acquainted  with  that  distant  region  of  country, 
perhaps  one  of  the  very  men  who  had  helped  to  instruct 
these  Indians  in  the  knowledge  of  that  blessed  book  which 
they  now  had,  and  which  had  created  such  a  desire  for 
fuller  instruction.  I  explained  to  them  how  my  mission  field 
was  already  over  five  hundred  miles  long  and  proportion 
ately  wide.  In  visiting  the  different  Indian  bands  on  it  I 
had  to  travel  either  by  canoe  or  dog-train  several  thousands 
of  miles  each  year.  I  tried  to  visit  each  band  twice  a  year, 
and  if  possible  when  present  at  the  different  places  arranged 
the  date  of  the  next  visit,  which  was  generally  six  months 
ahead.  Through  the  good  providence  of  God  I  had  been 
able  to  keep  all  of  my  many  engagements,  and  the  Indians, 
knowing  this,  often  came  hundreds  of  miles  by  canoe  in  sum 
mer  or  on  their  snow-shoes  in  winter  from  their  distant  hunt 
ing-grounds  to  meet  me  at  the  place  appointed,  that  they 
might  hear  the  word  of  God.  Very  many  were  the  difficul 
ties  and  hardships  endured  in  faithfully  filling  these  remote 
appointments,  but  many  pleasing  incidents  occurred  to  com 
pensate  for  a  fixed  resolve  to  be  faithful,  with  divine  help,  to 


110  S  TORIES  FR  OM  INDIAN  WIG  WA MS 

every  promise  made,  even  if  we  were  in  "  perils  oft "  from 
raging  floods  in  summer  or  the  bitter  cold  in  winter. 

I  remember  one  summer  when  going  down  abroad  river  in 
a  birch  canoe  with  two  Indians,  on  a  long  journey  of  several 
hundred  miles,  how  we  were  quickly  stopped  by  the  firing  of 
several  guns.  It  was  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
We  had  started  so  early  that  the  mists  had  not  yet  lifted 
from  the  shores  of  the  river,  which  was  over  half  a  mile 
wide.  We  were  well  out  in  the  stream,  and  were  availing 
ourselves  of  the  rapid  current  to  aid  us  as  we  were,  in  unison, 
plying  our  paddles.  While  rapidly  hurrying  along — for  we 
had  had  a  refreshing  rest  the  night  before,  wrapped  in  our 
blankets  on  a  granite  rock — we  heard  coming  through  the 
mist  from  the  shore  on  our  left  the  report  of  fire-arms. 
Quickly  changing  our  course,  we  paddled  through  the  gloom 
and  fog,  and  found  to  our  surprise  a  company  of  Indians, 
who,  having  heard  several  months  before  that  I  was  to  pass 
that  way  on  one  of  my  half-yearly  visits  to  one  of  my  out- 
appointments,  had  come  sixty  miles  from  their  hunting- 
grounds  to  intercept  me,  not  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
my  scalp,  but  that  they  might  have  a  one-day's  visit  with 
the  missionary  and  hear  from  him  out  of  the  word  of  God. 
Nearly  all  of  them  were  Christian  Indians.  There  was  a 
young  couple  to  be  married,  several  to  be  baptized,  and 
all  of  them  were  hungry  for  the  bread  of  life.  They  were 
very  grateful,  and  ere  we  left  gave  us  some  choice  pieces 
of  venison  and  dried  reindeer  tongues,  which  had  been  spe 
cially  prepared  for  the  missionary.  So,  while  I  was  anxious 
to  go  to  this  new  and  inviting  field  which  seemed  so  ripe  for 
the  harvest,  I  dare  not  break  faith  with  any  bands  whom  I 
liad  arranged  to  visit.  The  result  was  I  had  to  inform  these 
Indians,  who  had  come  so  far  for  me  to  go  and  help  them 
understand  what  they  were  reading,  that  six  months  must  pass 
away  ere  I  could  go  and  see  them.  They  said  they  were  very 
much  pleased  that  I  would  come  sometime,  but  pleaded  for  an 
earlier  visit,  for  "  who  could  tell  what  might  happen  in  all 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  Ill 

that  time  ?  "  However,  when  I  explained  my  work  to  them 
they  saw  how  it  was  and  were  satisfied.  One  of  them,  how 
ever,  looking  out  of  the  study  window  and  seeing  the  sun 
which  was  sinking  toward  the  western  horizon  and  casting 
toward  us  a  line  of  golden  light  on  the  rippling  waves,  with 
the  quick  poetic  Indian  temperament  said,  "  Come  quickly, 
missionary,  and  see  us,  for  your  coming  will  be  like  that  sun 
lit  path  upon  the  waters."  We  had  a  long  and  earnest  talk 
about  the  truths  of  the  blessed  book  and  the  Great  Spirit's 
design  in  giving  it  to  us  that  we  might  know  the  truth  con 
cerning  him,  and  also  about  ourselves  and  what  we  had  to  do 
in  order  to  obtain  his  forgiveness  and  become  his  children. 
Reverently  they  bowed  with  me  in  prayer  as  upon  them  we 
asked  the  divine  blessing  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 

After  exchanging  some  of  their  furs  at  the  fort  for  neces 
sary  supplies  they  set  off  on  their  return  journey  to  their 
distant  wigwams,  thankful  that  they  had  got  the  promise  of 
a  visit  from  a  missionary  to  explain  to  them  the  meaning  of 
the  great  book.  In  the  month  of  February  I  began  my  trip 
to  the  land  of  those  Indians  who  had  sent  the  deputation  so 
far  for  me  to  come  and  visit  them.  I  made  every  prepara 
tion  for  a  long  and  dangerous  journey,  and  was  not  disap 
pointed  in  any  way.  I  took  with  me  two  of  the  best  of  men, 
both  as  regards  their  genuine  piety  and  their  endurance  and 
cleverness  as  Indian  travelers.  So  many  were  the  peculiar 
difficulties  of  the  route  that  all  the  patience  and  energy  of  us 
all  were  at  times  taxed  to  the  utmost.  Our  trip  led  us  first 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  down  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake 
Winnipeg,  and  then  many  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness 
directly  east  of  that  great  lake.  The  traveling  on  Winnipeg 
was  mere  child's  play  to  what  followed  after  we  had  plunged 
into  the  forest  country.  Our  way  led  us  over  a  number  of 
little  frozen  lakes  and  streams  and  through  several  long, 
gloomy  forest  portages.  The  work  of  getting  through  the 
dense  forests  was  very  laborious  and  often  very  slow.  A  little 
clearing  out  of  the  fallen  trees  and  the  cutting  down  of  some 


112  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

where  they  stand  too  densely  together  would  have  saved  both 
men  and  dogs  a  great  deal  of  hardship  and  our  sleds  from  a 
great  deal  of  damage,  but  unfortunately  no  road-making  has 
as  yet  been  ever  attempted  in  this  wild  country.  Often  we 
had  to  get  down  on  our  hands  and  knees  and  crawl  under 
the  partly  fallen  trees,  and  then  all  hands  were  engaged  in 
getting  our  dogs  and  sleds  over  the  accumulated  fallen  ones, 
that  seemed  determined  to  block  up  our  way.  Often  our 
sleds  would  so  violently  strike  against  a  tree  that  there  was 
great  danger  of  serious  injury  being  inflicted  on  our  dogs. 

Thus  on  and  on  we  went  day  after  day.  Some  days  we 
made  fairly  good  progress.  This  was  when  we  had  some 
frozen  lakes  or  river  stretches  along  which  we  could  travel 
rapidly.  But  on  the  whole  the  trip  was  one  of  the  most 
difficult  I  ever  undertook.  However,  as  we  were  in  a  forest 
country  all  the  time  we  could  find  good  camping-places,  and 
so  we  were  able  to  rest  fairly  well  after  the  fatigues  and 
sufferings  of  the  day,  although  our  beds  were  made  in  the 
forest  on  some  evergreen  boughs  in  a  hole  dug  in  the  snow, 
with  no  roof  above  us  but  the  stars.  At  length  we  reached 
the  Indians  for  whom  we  were  looking.  To  say  that  they 
were  delighted  to  see  us  seems  very  cold  in  comparison  with 
the  reality.  They  had  abundance  of  venison,  and  so  we  and 
our  dogs  fared  well.  All  that  they  had  said  to  us  about  their 
people  being  able  to  read  the  blessed  book  we  found  to  be 
as  they  had  told  us.  And  so  our  work  was  to  explain  the 
truths  they  had  for  months  been  reading. 

It  being  the  hunting  season,  and  this  being  their  only 
means  of  livelihood,  many  whom  we  had  hoped  to  meet  were 
far  away  in  their  distant  hunting-grounds.  However,  those 
whom  we  did  meet  gave  the  most  earnest  heed  to  our  words 
and  drank  in  the  truth  with  great  delight.  We  felt  repaid  a 
thousand-fold  for  coming  to  visit  them,  and  remained  several 
days  among  them,  during  which  time  we  tried  to  teach  and 
preach  unto -them  Jesus,  arid  many  of  them  were  baptized. 

Often  since  have  we  thought  of  and  rejoiced  at  the  coming 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  113 

of  this  deputation  to  visit  us  and  of  the  marvelous  manner 
in  which  they  had  learned  to  read  the  word  of  God  in  their 
own  language,  without  missionary  or  teacher,  and  then  had 
imparted  that  knowledge  to  others;  and  then,  best  of  all, 
there  had  come  into  their  hearts  the  earnest  desire  to  under 
stand  what  they  wrere  reading.  To  satisfy  in  a  measure  that 
longing  it  had  been  given  to  me  to  have  the  great  honor  of 
going  as  the  first  missionary  to  visit  this  interesting  people 
and  explain  more  fully  some  of  the  truths  of  the  blessed 
book. 

This  was  my  rejoicing,  that  "these  Gentiles  should  be  fel 
low-heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers  of  his  prom 
ise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel:  whereof  I  was  made  a  minister, 
according  to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God  given  unto  me  by 
the  effectual  working  of  his  power.  Unto  me,  who  am 
less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I 
should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ." 


114  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER   IX. 

MISSIONARY     ENCOURAGEMENTS BEAUTIFUL     INCIDENTS     OF 

THE  GOSPEL'S  POWER — SICK  INDIAN  BROUGHT  TWENTY- 
FIVE  MILES  TO  SEE  THE  MISSIONARY CONVICTED  INDI 
AN'S  PRAYER,  "  HERE,  LORD,  I  CAN  DO  NO  MORE.  PLEASE 

TAKE  POOR    INDIAN    TOO  "  —  STORY   OF   JOE THE    HOT 

SUNDAY  SIMPLE    SERVICE JOE'S    DOUBTS  ACCEPTS 

CHRIST THE  SMALL-POX — SORROWS  AND  BEREAVEMENTS 

IN  THE  MISSIONARY'S  HOME — NONE  TO  HELP  OR  SYMPA 
THIZE  WITH  THEM — PROVIDENTIAL  DELIVERANCE  FROM 

SAVAGE   BLACKFEET    INDIANS JOE    DYING    OF    SMALL-POX 

HIS    MESSAGE HIS    DEATH. 

MISSIONARY  work  among  the  Indians,  like  that  in  all 
lands,  has  its  hours  of  sadness  and  discouragement  as 
well  as  of  hope  and  rejoicing.  We  look  back  with  thankful 
ness  that  it  was  not  only  our  privilege  to  go  forth  weeping, 
bearing  the  precious  seed,  but  that  in  addition  the  Master  of 
the  harvest  gave  us  the  joy  of  the  reapers.  It  was  our  great 
happiness  to  see  "  many  a  sheaf  both  ripe  and  golden  "  gath 
ered  in.  The  work  was  one  of  peculiar  hardships  to  both 
Mrs.  Young  and  myself,  but  the  conversion  of  scores  of 
souls  every  year  amply  repaid  us  for  the  sufferings  and  anx 
ieties  of  that  life  so  isolated  and  lonely  as  it  must  necessa 
rily  be  in  mission  fields  so  far  from  civilization.  Many  en 
couraging  incidents  were  constantly  occurring  to  cheer  the 
hearts  of  the  lonely  toilers  and  to  stimulate  them  to  labor  on  in 
the  blessed  work.  It  is  a  joy  to  record  some  of  these  trophies 
won  not  only  through  our  own  feeble  instrumentality,  but  also 
through  the  loving,  consecrated  efforts  of  our  loved  brother- 
missionaries.  One  of  these  dear  brethren,  writing,  says : 

"A  young  Indian  who  was  very  sick  had  his  friends  bring 
him  twenty-five  miles  to  the  home  of  the  missionary.     He 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  115 

wept  when  he  came  into  his  presence,  and  said  he  wanted 
to  learn  about  Jesus  before  he  died.  He  said,  'I  am  very 
wicked,  and  I  want  to  get  a  new  heart.'  When  urged  to 
pray  he  replied,  '  I  can't  pray  ;  I  don't  know  how.'  The 
faithful  missionary,  with  a  conscious  sense  of  the  nearness  and 
infinite  compassion  of  the  Divine  One,  earnestly  pointed  him 
to  the  Lamb  of  God.  Next  day,  when  the  missionary  called 
upon  him,  the  poor  sick  man,  holding  out  his  hand,  exclaimed 
with  rapture,  'Jesus  has  heard  my  prayer  and  made  my 
heart  good.  Now  pray  for  wife  also.'  He  began  from  that 
time  to  recover  from  his  sickness,  and  a  few  days  later  his 
wife  also  accepted  Christ  as  her  Saviour,  and  now  both  are 
rejoicing  in  Jesus." 

A  beautiful  story  is  told  by  one  of  our  earlier  Indian  mis 
sionaries  of  a  proud  and  powerful  chief  who,  under  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  became  deeply  convicted  of  sin. 
Trembling  under  a  sense  of  his  guilt,  he  came  to  the  mis 
sionary  and  offered  him  his  much-prized  belt  of  wampum  to 
have  his  load  of  guilt  removed.  When  told  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  did  not  want  this  offering  he  went  away  very  sad  and 
depressed  in  spirit.  Soon  after  he  returned  and  offered  his 
gun  and  favorite  dog.  "  These  are  not  what  Christ  wants," 
said  the  missionary.  Again  he  went  away  sorrowful,  but 
after  a  time  he  returned  and  offered  his  wigwam  and  family. 
The  faithful  missionary,  who  saw  the  struggle  that  was  going 
on  in  his  heart,  refused  for  his  Master  even  these,  saying 
that  "  the  Saviour  could  not  accept  even  these  as  a  sacrifice 
for  sin."  The  poor  convicted,  half-despairing  Indian  then 
threw  himself  down  upon  the  ground,  and,  lifting  up  his 
tearful  eyes,  exclaimed,  "Here,  Lord,  I  can  do  no  more. 
Please  take  poor  Indian  too."  The  answer  of  peace  and 
pardon  was  not  long  in  coming. 

Many  more  delightful  instances  could  be  given  of  the 
Gospel's  power  to  save  even  the  poor  Indian.  We  give 
more  fully  in  detail  the  story  of  the  conversion  of  Joe.  It 
has  been  made  a  blessing  to  many.  We  trust  the  placing 


116  STORIES  FR  OM  INDIA  N  WIG  WA  MS 

it  here  on  record  will  cause  it  to  be  a  stimulus  and  blessing 

O 

to  many  more.  How  true  it  is  that  it  is  not  always  that  the 
greatest  results  for  God  are  obtained  when  the  surroundings 
are  most  favorable !  The  crowded,  enthusiastic  audience 
does  not  always  yield  the  greatest  number  of  converts. 
How  often  has  it  been. seen  by  the  faithful  minister  or  de 
voted  Sunday-school  teacher  that  their  work  seemed  specially 
owned  of  God  when  under  difficulties  and  discouragements 
they  sacrificed  self  and  personal  comfort  to  be  in  their  place 
and  do  their  duty  ! 

Many  can  look  back  to  some  cold,  wet  Sunday  or  other  ap 
parently  very  unfavorable  time,  from  the  human  stand-point, 
when,  because  they  were  in  their  place,  precious  immortal 
souls  were  then  influenced  by  the  truth  and  heartily,  believ- 
ingly  accepted  Christ  as  their  personal,  conscious  Saviour. 
Little  did  I  dream,  as  I  stood  up  before  the  little  company  on 
that  Dakota  prairie  and  preached  that  short,  simple  sermon, 
that  it  was  to  be  one  of  the  successful  sermons  of  my  life. 

The  last  Sunday  we  spent  on  the  prairies  on  one  of  my 
missionary  journeys  was  the  hottest  day  of  which  I  have  any 
recollection.  The  fierce  sun  seemed  to  beat  down  upon  us 
with  tropical  heat,  and  we  all  felt  more  or  less  prostrated  by 
it.  "We  had  been  traveling  with  our  horses  for  nearly  thirty 
days  over  those  wonderful  fertile  meadows,  and  as  became  us, 
as  a  party  of  missionaries,  we  rested  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and 
in  rotation  held  religious  service.  When  we  reached  this  hot 
Sunday  the  good  minister  whose  turn  it  was  to  officiate  was 
so  prostrated  by  the  heat  that  he  declared  it  was  impossible 
for  him  to  preach.  I  had  conducted  the  service  the  previous 
Sabbath,  and  had  the  good  excuse  that  it  was  not  my  turn. 
The  other  good  divines  also  had  their  excuses,  and  so  it  really 
seemed  as  though  the  day  would  pass  by  and  no  service  be 
held.  So  I  volunteered  to  take  the  work  rather  than  that  it 
should  be  neglected.  This  being  announced,  the  different 
members  of  our  company,  with  a  few  exceptions,  gathered 
round  the  front  of  my  canvas-covered  wagon  and  seated 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  117 

themselves  as  comfortably  as  they  could  in  the  prairie  grass, 
improvising  sun-shades  where  they  were  not  the  fortunate 
possessors  of  umbrellas. 

Among  the  members  of  our  party  were  two  Sioux  Indians, 
who  had  induced  our  leader,  the  Rev.  George  McDougall,  to 
permit  them  to  join  our  band.  Their  wish  was  to  leave  their 
own  country  and  to  go  and  join  the  Indians  on  the  great  plains 
of  the  Saskatchewan.  And  perhaps  it  was  felt  best  by  them 
to  get  away,  ere  a  worse  evil  should  befall  them;  for  doubt 
less  they  had  been  seriously  mixed  up,  or  implicated  in  the 
terrible  Sioux  Indian  war  which  had  raged  a  short  time  before, 
in  which  hundreds  of  whites  had  lost  their  lives  and  a  large 
region  of  country  had  been  desolated.  "With  but  one  of  these 
Indians  we  have  to  do.  The  only  name  by  which  he  was 
known  to  us  was  that  of  Joe.  He  was  a  wild-looking  fellow, 
and  yet  had  quite  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  which 
doubtless  he  had  picked  up  in  the  frontier  settlements  in 
times  of  peace  or  when  he  was  employed  as  a  guide  by  hunt 
ing-parties  on  the  plains.  But  he  hated  the  white  man's  re 
ligion,  and  generally  spent  the  Sabbath  in  strolling  off  with 
his  gun  on  a  shooting  excursion. 

This  hot  Sunday,  however,  Joe  felt  the  heat  so  oppressive 
that  he  stretched  himself  out  on  the  grass  on  his  back,  and, 
with  his  old  hat  over  his  face,  tried  to  sleep.  The  spot  he 
had  selected  for  his  resting-place  was  only  a  few  yards  in 
front  of  my  wagon,  and  doubtless  he  had  taken  this  position 
from  the  fact  that  as  I  had  taken  charge  of  the  service  the 
previous  Sabbath  it  would  be  held  this  day  somewhere  else, 
and  so  he  would  not  be  troubled  with  it.  When  I  stood  up  to 
begin  Joe  partly  got  up,  as  though  he  would  depart,  but 
whether  it  was  the  prostrating  heat  or  not  he  dropped  down 
again  on  the  grass,  and  looked  up  at  me  with  his  glittering 
coal-black  eyes  with  any  thing  but  friendliness.  As  I  saw 
him  remaining  there  for  the  first  time  at  one  of  the  public 
services  the  thought  came,  "  Now,  may  be  this  is  the  only 
opportunity  of  saying  any  thing  that  will  reach  Joe."  So  I 


118  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

lifted  up  my  heart  and  prayed,  "Lord,  give  me  a  message  for 
the  poor  Indian  warrior  and  hunter  that  will  reach  his  heart. 
Help  me  to  deliver  the  message  with  such  simplicity  and 
plainness  that,  even  with  his  little  knowledge  of  English,  he 
may  understand  it."  And  with  that  thought  or  wish  upper 
most  in  my  mind  I  conducted  the  whole  service,  and  preached 
the  divine  word.  The  service  closed  as  usual,  and  each  did 
his  best  to  comfortably  and  restf  ully  pass  the  remaining  hours 
of  the  sweltering,  oppressive  day. 

A  few  days  after  our  long  trip  across  the  prairie  was  ended. 
The  Territories  of  Minnesota  and  Dakota  had  been  crossed, 
and  then,  after  entering  into  British  territory  at  Pembina,  we 
traveled  on  through  the  French  half-breed  settlement,  until 
we  reached  the  quaint,  old-fashioned,  mediaeval  fortress  of 
Fort  Garry.  Strangely  out  of  place  did  it  seem  to  us.  As  we 
first  looked  up  at  its  massive  walls  and  turrets  and  bastions  it 
seemed  ns  though  some  freak  of  nature  or  magic  wand  had 
suddenly  transported  it  from  some  old  historic  European 
nation  and  dropped  it  down  amid  the  luxuriant  grasses  and 
brilliant  flowers  of  this  wild  prairie  country.  For  more  than 
a  month  we  had  been  traveling  through  the  wild,  unsettled 
prairies.  For  many  days  we  had  left  behind  us  all  vestiges 
of  civilization.  No  newspapers  or  letters  had  we  seen  for 
weeks.  The  "sound  of  the  church-going  bell "  or  the  busy 
hum  of  civilized  industry  had  never  broken  the  stillness  df 
those  solitudes.  The  last  Anglo-Saxon  settler's  cabin  was 
hundreds  of  miles  behind  us,  and  now,  after  being  slowly  fer 
ried  across  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  as  we  climb  up  the 
river's  bank  we  are  suddenly  confronted  by  massive  castellated 
stone  walls,  round  towers,  turrets,  port-holes,  cannons,  and 
piles  of  balls!  Strangely  out  of  place  as  it  seemed  at  first, 
there  comes  a  feeling  of  regret  in  these  later  years  that  it 
could  not  have  been  allowed  to  remain,  but  the  "  land  craze" 
came,  and  its  site  at  so  much  per  foot  was  too  much  for  mere 
sentiment,  and  so  the  old  historic  Fort  Garry  had  to  go  down, 
leaving  scarce  a  wreck  behind. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  119 

Here  our  party  broke  up.  Revs.  George  McDougall  and 
Peter  Campbell,  with  their  families,  Messrs.  Sniders,  the 
teachers,  and  several  others,  whites  and  Indians,  pushed  on 
still  farther  west,  a  distance  of  over  twelve  hundred  miles. 
The  Rev.  George  Young  remained  in  the  little  settlement  that 
was  springing  up  around  Fort  Garry  to  open  our  first  mission 
for  settlers  speaking  the  English  language. 

After  a  few  days'  delay  Mrs.  Young  and  I  started  off  on 
our  journey  for  our  home,  four  hundred  miles  directly  north. 
Many  were  our  dangers  and  startling  were  some  of  our  ad 
ventures,  but  after  a  couple  of  weeks  of  weary  toil  we  safely 
reached  our  humble  home  in  our  Indian  mission  field. 

But  we  must  now  go  back  to  the  party  that  we  saw  start 
off  on  their  twelve-hundred-mile  trip.  Their  first  stopping- 
place  would  be  Edmonton,  on  the  great  North  Saskatchewan 
River.  A  few  days  after  they  had  left  Fort  Garry,  while  Joe 
and  one  of  the  young  gentlemen,  a  Mr.  Snider,  who  was  go 
ing  out  as  a  mission  teacher,  were  walking  along  the  trail, 
Joe  began  asking  some  strange  questions. 

"Mr.  Snider, "'said  he. 

"  Well,  Joe,  what  is  it,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Didn't  that  young  missionary  tell  lies  when  he  preached 
that  sermon  that  hot  Sunday  ?  " 

"Why,  no,  Joe;  he  told  the  truth." 

"  But  did  he  not  tell  a  big  lie  when  he  said  the  Great  Spirit 
loved  every  body,  white  man  and  Indian  alike?  " 

"  No,  Joe  ;  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons." 

"But  did  he  not  tell  a  great  big  lie  when  he  said  the  Great 
Spirit  gave  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  to  die  for  the  Indian  as  well 
as  for  the  white  man  ?  " 

"  No,"  was  the  answer  of  the  pious  young  teacher;  "  Jesus, 
the  Son  of  God,  died  for  all  mankind." 

"  But — but — did  he  not  tell  a  great  big  one  when  he  said 
that  the  Great  Spirit  had  prepared  a  fine  place  for  all,  Indians 
and  whites,  if  they  would  be  good  and  love  him  ?  " 

"  No,  Joe  ;  that  is  all  true,  and  the  best  thing  you  can  do 


120  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN 

is  to  .accept  it  and  believe  it."  Other  conversations  were 
held  with  the  Indian,  and  he  said  at  last,  "  Well,  if  I  could 
believe  all  that  that  young  minister  said  that  hot  Sunday 
was  true  I  would  become  a  Christian." 

When  they  reached  the  far-off  mission  station  Joe,  instead 
of  going  to  the  plains  and  joining  the  wild,  warlike,  horse- 
stealing  bands,  settled  down  at  the  Christian  village.  He  was 
thoughtful  and  interested,  and  by  and  by  became  a  decided 
and  thorough  Christian  man.  His  life  was  so  changed  that 
all  who  met  him  were  conscious  of  the  fact.  No  one  seeing 
him  then  would  ever  have  imagined  he  had  had  such  a  history 
and  that  he  had  ever  been  guilty  of  such  crimes  as  were  im 
puted  to  him. 

A  couple  of  years  or  so  afterward  that  terrible  scourge, 
the  small-pox,  broke  out  among  these  western  Indians.  It 
was  supposed  to  have  been  brought  among  them  by  some 
traders  from  Montana.  The  havoc  it  wrought  can  hardly 
be  overestimated.  Being  to  them  a  strange  disease  they  did 
nothing  to  arrest  its  ravages,  and  in  sullen  despair,  without 
even  an  effort  at  isolation,  let  it  literally  mow  them  down 
by  thousands.  Whole  villages  were  nearly  annihilated.  It 
got  into  the  home  of  the  Rev.  George  McDougall,  and  three 
loved  inmates  died.  It  invaded  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's 
trading-post,  and  the  gentleman  in  charge,  Mr.  Clarke,  was 
one  of  its  first  victims  there.  And,  strange  as  it  may  ap 
pear,  the  fact  that  a  few  whites  died  of  the  disease  in  all 
probability  saved  the  remainder  from  being  massacred. 

When  it  got  in  among  the  wild,  savage  Blackfeet  Indians 
they  held  a  tribal  council  and  said,  "This  is  the  white  man's 
scourge;  he  has  sent  it  among  us  to  kill  us,  and  we  must 
have  revenge."  So  they  decreed  that  all  the  whites  in  the 
West  should  be  put  to  death.  They  sent  out  a  strong  com 
pany  of  well-armed  warriors  to  kill  every  white  man,  wxnnan, 
and  child.  They  started  off  to  carry  out  their  terrible  pur 
poses,  and  the  first  place  they  reached  was  the  little  Christian 
mission  at  which  Mr.  McDougall  lived.  When  they  drew 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  121 

near,  Indian  like,  they  acted  in  their  sly,  stealthy  way.  The 
bulk  of  the  warriors  remained  some  distance  off,  while  a  few, 
under  the  mask  of  friendship,  visited  the  mission.  They 
came  into  the  house  and  looked  about  and  talked  to  Mr. 
McDougall;  he,  never  dreaming  of  what  was  in  their  hearts, 
treated  them  kindly  and  told  them  that  this  terrible  disease, 
called  small-pox,  had  come  into  his  house,  that  some  were 
dead  and  others  very  bad.  They  soon  hurried  away  back 
to  their  comrades  hiding  in  the  tall  grass  and  told  them  what 
they  had  seen.  They  counseled  there  together  and  decided 
that  the  missionary  was  not  the  one  who  had  brought  this 
strange  new  disease  into  their  country  to  kill  them,  for  it  was 
his  enemy  too,  and  was  killing  his  loved  ones.  Then  they 
decided  it  must  have  been  the  traders,  and  so  away  they 
hurried,  and  many  long  miles  they  had  to  go.  When  they 
reached  the  trading-post  they  adopted  the  same  plan.  The 
majority  hid  themselves,  while  the  few  went  as  friends  to 
the  post.  Imagine  their  horror  to  find  that  even  there  the 
mysterious  disease  had  entered  and  the  principal  man  of  the 
place  himself  was  dead.  So  they  hurried  back  to  their  warrior 
friends  in  hiding  and  told  them  what  they  had  seen.  They 
deliberated,  and  at  length  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they 
were  mistaken — that,  instead  of  this  disease  having  been 
brought  in  just  to  kill  the  Indians  by  the  white  men,  its  com 
ing  was  beyond  their  finding  out;  but  perhaps  it  was  sent  by 
the  Great  Spirit  as  a  punishment  to  Indians  and  whites  on 
account  of  their  sins.  So  as  quietly  and  as  secretly  as  they 
had  come  they  hastened  back  to  their  own  country  and  told 
what  they  had  witnessed.  Thus,  humanly  speaking,  the  death 
of  the  few  saved  the  lives  of  the  many. 

But  how  few  living  amid  the  blessings  of  civilization  and 
Christianity  can  realize  all  that  is  included  in  this  simple 
statement:  "The  small-pox  has  got  into  the  home  of  the 
missionary,  George  McDougall,  and  three  of  his  family  have 
died."  They  were  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  nearest  doctor 
or  physician.  They  had  tried  to  scatter  their  Indians  on  the 


122  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

plains  so  as  to  save  some  of  them  from  catching  this  terribly 
contagious  disease.  Of  the  few  remaining  at  the  mission 
numbers  of  them  were  down  with  the  dread  pestilence,  and 
the  few  who  escaped  were  so  busy  attending  to  their  own 
sick,  or  so  terror-stricken,  that  they  could  afford  but  little 
help  to  the  afflicted  missionary  family.  And  so  there  they 
were,  all  alone  with  their  dying  and  their  dead ;  no  loving 
friends  near  to  help ;  none  to  come  and  perform  the  kindly 
acts  of  attendance  and  helpful  care;  none  to  watch  with  them 
through  the  long  hours  of  day  or  through  the  sad,  gloomy 
vigils  of  the  night ;  no  loving  minister's  voice  to  come  in 
and  read  the  "exceeding  great  and  precious  promises,"  and 
then  at  the  mercy-seat  to  invoke  the  presence  of  Him  who 
has  promised  to  be  his  people's  comforter  and  to  carry  their 
sorrows.  Missionaries  and  their  wives  and  children  are 
human,  and  in  the  hour  of  sore  trial  they  crave,  as  other 
people  do,  the  presence  and  sympathy  and  prayers  of  those 
whose  intercessions  avail  at  the  throne. 

But  in  this  far-off  home,  on  the  banks  of  the  North  Sas 
katchewan  there  were  none  of  these  visitants  to  come  as  an 
gels  of  mercy  to  help  in  mitigating  the  deep  sorrows  of  those 
days  which  cannot  be  expressed  in  words.  However,  there 
was  this  blessed  consolation  :  the  divine  Presence  was  not 
missing,  and  his  almighty  arms  were  underneath  and  round 
about,  and  so  the  survivors  were  saved  from  despair.  Still, 
how  sad  was  their  condition  J  Can  we  look  into  such  a  home 
at  such  times  without  realizing  that  still  there  are  severe  trials 
in  connection  with  missionary  life  ?  When  the  loved  ones 
died,  one  after  another,  the  father  and  his  son,  the  beloved 
Rev.  John  McDougall,  had  to  saw  the  boards  with  a  pit-saw 
to  make  the  coffins,  dig  the  graves,  and  bury  their  own  dead. 
When  they  were  lowering  into  the  grave  the  body  of  the 
third  loved  one  there  fell  from  the  lips  of  John  a  sentence 
that  touched  the  hearts  of  thousands  of  sympathetic  Chris 
tians  and  filled  their  eyes  with  tears.  It  was,  "  Father,  it 
seerns  so  hard  that  we  have  to  bury  our  own  dead." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  123 

There  are  some  of  us  who  can,  in  a  measure,  sympathize 
with  such  sorrow ;  for  the  arrow  has  pierced  our  own 
hearts  also;  and  there  are  grassy  mounds  under  which  rests 
all  that  was  earthly  of  our  own  precious  ones.  But  they 
shall  rise  again,  and  so  we  wipe  away  the  tear  and  rejoice 
in  our  sorrows  with  glad  anticipation  that  that  glorious  coun 
try  in  which  so  much  suffering  and  hardship  has  been  cheer 
fully  endured  to  win  the  Indians  to  Christ  has  also  been  in 
this  fuller  measure  permanently  consecrated  to  him  by  the 
laying  down  of  the  lives  of  some  of  his  sanctified  ones. 

During  the  sad  afflictions  at  Mr.  McDougall's  my  good 
friend,  the  teacher,  had  been  stationed  many  miles  away  at 
another  mission  and  was  doing  good  service  for  Christ 
among  the  Indians.  He — Mr.  Snider — has  since  fully  entered 
the  ministry  and  is  a  valued  and  useful  minister.  When  he 
heard  of  the  sorrows  and  calamities  that  had  assailed  the  mis 
sionary's  household  and  the  Indians  around  he  hurried  doAvn 
to  be,  as  he  was,  a  help  and  a  blessing.  One  day  somebody 
came  in  and  told  him  that  there  was  a  poor  dying  man  out 
side  from  the  Indian  wigwams,  who  wanted  to  see  him  and 
had  a  message  to  leave  with  him.  Mr.  Snider's  sympathetic 
heart  was  at  once  interested,  and  he  hurried  out.  He  went 
down  the  path,  and  just1  as  he  was  getting  over  the  fence  he 
saw  the  dying  man.  His  first  thought  was  that  the  man  was 
dead;  but  seeing  there  was  still  life  in  him,  he  said,  "Are 
you  the  man  who  sent  for  me  ?" 

"  O,  yes,  Mr.  Snider,  I  sent  for  you.  I  could  not  die  until 
I  left  with  you  a  message.  They  told  me  you  had  come,  and 
I  was  so  glad." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  said  Mr.  Snider,  for  so  terribly  had  the 
small-pox  seized  him  that  the  missionary  had  not  been  able 
to  recognize  him. 

"I  am  Joe,"  said  the  dying  man. 

"  O,  Joe,  is  this  you  ?     I  am  very  sorry.     Can  I  do  any 
thing  for  you  ?     Can   I  bring  you  a  drink  of  water  or  help 
you  back  to  the  wigwam  ?  " 
10 


124  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"  No,"  said  the  poor  fellow,  "  but  I  want  to  leave  a  mes 
sage  with  you.  I  cannot  see  you,  but  I  can  see  Jesus,  and  I 
shall  soon  be  with  him." 

"  Why,  of  course  I  will  take  your  message,  Joe.  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  Mr.  Snider,  if  you  ever  see  that  missionary  who 
preached  that  sermon  that  hot  Sunday  will  you  please  tel) 
him  for  me  that  that  sermon  made  me  a  Christian.  You  re 
member  I  thought  he  was  telling  lies,  but  you  told  me  it  was 
all  true,  and  now  I  have  found  it  to  be  so.  You  know  I  have 
tried  to  live  right  and  have  given  Him  my  heart,  and  now  I 
cannot  see  you,  but  I  see  Jesus  and  shall  soon  be  with  him." 

And  thus  he  talked,  and  soon  after  he  died  in  sweet  and 
simple  faith  in  that  Saviour  who  would  light  up  his  pathway 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  though  his  bodily 
eyes  had  gone  through  the  fell  disease. 

Years  passed  away  ere  I  heard  of  Joe's  message  to  me  and 
of  his  happy,  triumphant  death,  and  that  he  looked  back  to 
that  simple,  plain  talk  on  the  beautiful  verse,  the  sixteenth 
of  the  third  of  St.  John's  gospel,  as  the  time  when  the  good 
resolution  to  be  a  Christian  first  entered  his  heart.  Doubt 
less  very  much  was  owing  to  the  faithful  words  which  were 
uttered  by  Mr.  Snider  and  others.  Still  there  was  a  time  of 
seed-sowing,  and  it  seemed  to  have  been  that  day,  apparently 
the  most  unlikely  when  any  permanent  good  would  be  done. 

So  I  give  the  incident,  the  latter  part,  as  well  as  I  can  rec 
ollect  it,  from  the  lips  of  Mr.  Snider  and  also  Mr.  McDougall. 
Mr.  McDougall  was  afterward  caught  in  a  blizzard  storm, 
on  one  of  those  wild  western  plains,  and  laid  down  to  die. 
About  fourteen  days  passed  away  ere  his  body  was  discov 
ered.  It  was  frozen  as  hard  as  marble  and  but  little  harmed 
by  prowling  beasts.  The  features  were  as  natural  as  in  life. 
It  seems  when  all  hope  of  reaching  home  had  left  him  he 
laid  himself  down  on  a  snow-drift,  folded  his  arms  across  his 
breast,  went  to  sleep,  and  was  not,  for  God  had  taken  him. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  125 


CHAPTER   X. 

PRESIDENT     CLEVELAND    WANTED     MOKE    DOG    STORIES MRS. 


MY  DOGS  -  ESSENTIAL  FOR  TRAVELING  IN  THE  NORTH  LAND 
-  ESQUIMAUX  -  A  TRIAL  OF  PATIENCE  -  BITING  A  DOG'S 
EAR  -  A  STUBBORN  DOG's  END  -  THE  MEAT-POT  OR  SOAP- 

KETTLE  —  THE    ECCLESIASTIC'S    EXPEDIENT  TO  GET  ON  — 


-  CUNNING  OLD  CAESAR  -  MY  OWN  TRAIN  -  VOYAGEUR, 
THE  MATCHLESS  LEADER  -  HOW  I  UNFORTUNATELY  BROKE 
HIS  HEART  -  JACK  THE  NOBLEST  OF  THEM  ALL. 


«  rriHE   President   said,  as  we   were   driving   home   from 
-1-    church,  'I  wished  that  missionary  had  told  us  more 
about  his  dogs.'  " 

The  above  was  said  to  me  by  Mrs.  Cleveland,  the  beauti 
ful  and  accomplished  wife  of  the  then  President  of  the  United 
States,  in  the  White  House  at  Washington,  where  I  had 
called  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Sunderland,  her  pastor,  and  for 
whom  I  had  given  a  missionary  address  the  previous  Sabbath, 
which  was  attended  by  both  the  President  and  his  wife.  My 
answer  to  this  noble  woman  was  that  it  could  hardly  be  ex 
pected  that  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  in  a  pulpit,  I  could  more 
fully  refer  to  my  dogs  than  merely  to  describe  their  work  in 
taking  me  on  my  long  journeys  as  I  wandered  through  the 
country  carrying  the  Gospel  to  the  poor  Indians  who  could 
be  reached  in  no  other  way.  This  reply  was  considered  sat 
isfactory,  and  a  very  delightful  and  profitable  hour  was  spent 
in  talking  about  the  best  methods  which  ought  to  be  adopted 
for  the  Indian's  progress  in  Christianity  and  civilization,  both 
in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  As  we  rose  to  leave  the 
White  House,  the  palace  of  the  President  of  the  mighty 
republic,  Mrs.  Cleveland  grasped  my  hand  and  with  much 


123  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

feeling  said:  "Mr.  Young,  give  my  love  to  your  noble  wife. 
A  woman  who  for  the  Master's  sake,  and  for  the  poor  Indian's 
sake,  would,  go  through  what  she  has  ought  to  be  loved  by 
every  Christian  woman  in  the  land." 

My  heart  was  deeply  touched  by  these  kind  words  from 
this  noble  lady,  the  first  in  this  great  land.  Would  that  all 
in  high  and  exalted  stations  were  as  is  this  Christian  lady, 
full  of  loving  sympathy  and  busy  in  tangible  efforts  for  the 
uplifting  of  humanity  and  the  bringing  in  of  the  kingdom  of 
the  Lord  Jesus ! 

As  I  could  not  say  enough  in  a  missionary  sermon  about 
the.  dogs  of  the  North-west  which  play  such  a  prominent 
part,  and  aided  me  so  successfully  in  my  work,  I  am  going  to 
say  something  more  about  them  in  this  chapter.  They  de 
serve  to  be  honorably  mentioned.  But  for  them  many  of 
my  most  successful  missionary  journeys  could  never  have 
been  made,  and  hundreds  of  Indians  now  in  the  happy  pos 
session  of  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  would 
never  have  heard  his  name.  For  traveling  in  the  dreary 
wintry  wilds  of  the  vast  regions  north  of  the  fertile  prairies, 
the  dogs  are  swifter  and  more  enduring  than  horses,  and  can 
go  where  horses  would  soon  perish.  For  them  no  surveyed 
road  or  well-beaten  trail  is  required.  The  skillful  guide,  with 
his  unerring  intelligence,  running  ahead  on  his  large  snow- 
shoes,  makes  all  the  road  required  by  the  dogs  whether  the 
journey  leads  over  the  vast  frozen  morass  or  through  the 
dense,  unbroken  forest. 

Years  ago,  wrhen  the  buffalo  roamed  in  countless  herds  on 
the  great  western  prairies,  every  Indian  village  and  Hudson 
Bay  Company's  post  swarmed  with  dogs.  This  was  because 
meat  was  so  abundant  and  the  dogs  could  be  so  cheaply  kept. 
But  with  the  disappearance  of  the  buffalo  the  dogs  are  also 
going,  on  account  of  the  great  expense  in  feeding  them; 
and  now  about  the  only  places  where  they  are  still  used  in 
goodly  numbers  are  in  the  great  northern  regions  beyond 
the  prairies,  where  there  is  an  abundance  of  game  or  fish. 


' 

iff; 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES. 


127 


Dogs  of  various  kinds  are  to  be  found  in  the  country.  The 
most  common  ones,  however,  are  of  the  Esquimau  or  Huskie 
breed.  They  are  hardy  and  enduring.  They  have  a  warm, 
furry  coat,  curly  tails,  and  are  of  every  color  belonging  to 
the  dog  tribe.  They  have  some  very  serious  defects,  perhaps 
partly  owing  to  their  defective  education  or  wolfish  origin. 


PUNISHING    A    STUBBORN    DOG. 


Some  of  the  best  of  them  are  very  treacherous,  and  with  very 
few  exceptions  they  are  persistent  and  cunning  thieves. 

It  is  commonly  said  at  some  of  the  posts  that  to  drive 
successfully  these  native  dogs  the  driver  must  be  able  to 
swear  in  English,  French,  and  Indian.  But  as  there  are  no 


128  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

words  in  the  Indian  language  in  which  to  swear  the  native 
words  used  are  only  those  of  reproach  or  entreaty. 

As  with  poor  obstinate  teams  of  mules  or  balky  horses  so 
it  is  with  badly  trained  or  skulking  dogs;  there  is  not  much 
pleasure  in  driving  them.  On  one  of  my  trips  we  overtook 
a  French  half-breed  wrho,  wild  with  passion,  was  punishing  a 
stubborn  dog  in  a  most  extraordinary  fashion.  After  he  had 
whipped  him  until  tired,  and  kicked  him  until  his  moccasined 
foot  was  sore,  he  had  throw^n  him  down  and,  dog-like,  was 
biting  his  ear.  On  my  remonstrating  with  him  on  his  un 
governable  passion  and  unseemly  conduct  he  replied,  "Mis 
sionary,  it  is  no  use.  You  know  I  have  tried  to  be  a  Chris 
tian,  but  I  give  it  up,  if  I  have  to  be  a  dog-driver." 

At  Oxford  Mission,  one  of  my  out-stations,  a  native  family 
had  a  dog  so  stubborn  that  it  seemed  impossible  to  make  him 
voluntarily  move  when  harnessed  up.  So  one  day  they  took 
him  by  force  a  mile  or  so  away  from  the  wigwam  and  there 
securely  harnessed  him  to  an  empty  sled,  Then  they  re 
turned  home  and  patiently  waited  to  see  how  long  it  would 
be  before  he  would  drag  that  sled  back  to  the  house.  He 
waited  only  until  they  wTere  out  of  sight,  and  then  after  cut 
ting  off  his  traces,  and  eating  the  greater  part  of  them,  de 
liberately  walked  home.  I  forget  just  now  whether  that 
dog's  flesh  supplied  the  family  that  day  with  a  capital  dinner 
or  whether  they  made  a  pot  of  soft-soap  out  of  his  fat. 

A  good  story  is  told  of  a  well-known  Red  River  divine 
who  was  making  an  extended  winter  tour  of  several  hun 
dred  miles  through  his  diocese.  He  noticed  that  although 
the  dogs  attached  to  his  sled  w^ere  the  finest  in  the  party,  yet 
they  did  not  keep  up  to  the  other  trains.  Annoyed  at  this, 
and  nearly  frozen  to  death,  he  inquired  of  Baptiste,  his 
driver,  why  it  was  that  they  kept  so  falling  in  the  rear  and 
thus  apparently  delaying  all.  Baptiste's  reply  was  that  his 
dogs  were  the  best  of  all,  but  that  they  did  not  care  for  his 
whippings  unless  he  also  swore  at  them  ;  but  "  out  of  re 
spect  to  his  reverence  he  had  abstained  from  using  strong 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  129 

words."  Almost  beside  himself  from  the  bitter  cold,  the 
ecclesiastic  ordered  him  to  swear  away  to  his  heart's  con 
tent — to  do  any  thing  if  they  could  only  get  on — and  he 
would  give  him  full  absolution  at  the  end  of  the  journey. 
Out  rolled  the  familiar  expletives  in  turn  with  the  crack  of 
the  whip.  The  dogs  sprang  to  their  work,  and  soon  the 
bishop's  train  was  ahead  of  all  the  others. 

"There,  Baptiste,  that  is  something  like  traveling,"  said 
his  grace.  "  Rush  on,  Baptiste,  and  get  me  out  of  this  cold. 
Your  theological  phrases  are  out  of  place,  but  I'll  make  it  all 
right  at  the  end  of  the  trip.  Only  push  on." 

The  dogs  are  generally  broken  in  when  about  a  year  old, 
but  are  not  considered  to  have  reached  their  prime  until  the 
second  winter.  The  breaking-in  process  is  not  always  very 
pleasant.  Some  dogs  take  to  the  work  naturally,  and  give 
A^ery  little  trouble.  Others,  however,  desperately  resist  and 
stubbornly  refuse  to  submit  to  the  loss  of  their  liberty. 
Kindness  and  firmness  succeed  best  in  training  them,  yet 
there  are  some  with  whom  harsher  measures  have  to  be  used. 
I  have  been  amazed  at  the  amount  of  ferocity  and  vindic- 
tiveness  some  of  them  develop  when  they  begin  to  under 
stand  what  is  required  of  them.  Some  of  them  will  not 
hesitate  to  bite  and  cruelly  mangle  the  hand  that  tries  to 
harness  them,  even  if  it  is  the  hand  of  their  own  master  who 
has  ever  treated  them  kindly. 

In  breaking  in  a  stubborn  young  dog  the  better  way  is 
with  the  aid  of  a  train  of  experienced  old  ones.  Three  of 
these  steady  old  fellows  are  harnessed  before  the  one  to  be 
conquered,  and  a  good,  sagacious,  strong  one  is  put  behind. 
The  harness  must  be  securely  fastened  on  the  young  dog  to 
be  broken  in,  for  he  will  make  the  most  desperate  efforts  to 
squeeze  himself  out,  and  if  he  once  succeeds  he  will,  in  all 
probability,  be  like  a  horse  that  has  once  run  away,  apt  to 
try  it  again,  and  consequently  is  never  considered  perfectly 
reliable.  When  well  harnessed  the  driver  shouts,  "  Marche  !  " 
and  the  three  well-trained  dogs  ahead  spring  off  on  the 


130  STORIES  FR  OM  INDIAN  WIG  WA MS 

jump.  Sometimes  the  new  dog  takes  to  the  work  naturally 
and  gives  no  trouble,  but  as  a  rule  the  native  dog  especially 
does  not  surrender  so  easily.  When  he  finds  that  he  is  kept 
in  line  by  collar  and  harness  he  makes  the  most  frantic 
jumps  and  springs  to  escape.  Failing  in  this  he  will  some 
times  stiffen  out  his  legs  and  try  to  stop  to  think  a  little 
about  this  novel  situation.  But  the  strong  dogs  ahead  of 
him  are  not  of  the  same  mind  just  then,  and  so  they  jerk 
him  along  in  spite  of  his  stiff  limbs  and  efforts  to  the  con 
trary.  This  not  being  very  pleasant  to  his  feelings,  and  as 
he  is  getting  hot  and  excited,  he  thinks  he  will  rest  a  while, 
and  so  he  throws  himself  down  on  the  snow  ;  but  the  steady, 
powerful  dogs  in  front  by  their  onward  progress  seem  to  say 
to  him,  "Xo,  you  don't  ! "  and  he  is  obliged  to  keep  on  the 
road.  Failing  in  this  also,  he  makes  the  most  desperate  at 
tempts  to  turn  somersaults  or  in  some  way  twist  himself  out 
of  line,  and  here,  in  thwarting  all  these  efforts,  the  steady 
dog  behind  often  displays  great  intelligence. 

Some  of  these  old  dogs  seem  to  know  as  well  as  their  mas 
ters  when  they  are  having  the  fun  of  breaking  in  a  new  dog, 
and  they  enter  into  the  work  with  great  intelligence  and 
zeal.  My  noble  Saint  Bernard,  Jack,  used  to  render  me  great 
service  in  this  not  always  pleasant  or  agreeable  work.  I 
used  to  employ  him  as  the  strong  dog  behind  the  new  re 
cruit  in  the  breaking-in  process,  and  very  clever  indeed  was 
he  at  his  work.  Watching  carefully  the  frantic  actions  of 
the  excited  fellow  in  front  of  him,  he  would  by  slackening 
or  tightening  the  traces  so  keep  him  in  bounds  that  he 
would  soon  find  out  that  about  all  the  movements  he  could 
make  were  the  forward  ones,  which  were  the  ones  desired. 

Sometimes  a  specially  stubborn  young  dog  would  so  annoy 
Jack  that  when  the  entreaties  or  even  whip  of  the  driver 
had  failed  to  conquer  he  would,  metaphorically  speaking, 
take  a  hand  in  the  breaking-in  process,  and,  rushing  on  the 
sulky  young  dog,  would  bite  him  in  his  hind-quarters,  and  so 
roar  and  growl  at  him  that  the  frightened  creature  would 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  131 

often  yield,  and  so  spring  to  his  work  that  the  three  dogs 
ahead  now  had  all  they  could  do  to  keep  out  of  his  way. 
Thus  faithful  Jack  quickly  conquered  several  dogs  that  but 
for  him  would  have  given  us  trouble  for  many  a  day. 

Many  of  these  Esquimau  dogs  are  great  shirks,  and  are 
so  cunning  about  it  that  it  is  often  hard  to  find  them  out.  I 
had  one  of  this  class  that  I  had  long  suspected  was  not  doing 
his  share  of  work  with  the  rest  of  the  train.  He  was  a  large, 
powerful  fellow,  and  when  in  the  traces  would,  with  tongue 
out,  and  apparently  with  tremendous  effort,  keep  tugging  at 
his  work.  The  trip  we  were  on  was  a  long  and  heavy  one. 
The  other  dogs  were  showing  the  effects  of  it,  but  Caesar 
was  fatter  than  when  we  started.  For  days  I  watched  him, 
and  he  watched  me.  When  I  shouted  to  him  he  would  tug 
away  at  his  collar,  and  by  his  puffing  and  blowing  and  in 
jured  look  seem  to  say,  "  What  more  can  I  do  ?  "  Not  satis 
fied  with  him,  and  yet  not  very  certain  as  to  my  suspicions, 
I  arranged  his  harness  so  that  in  the  train  he  should  have  his 
own  traces,  and  even  then  he  acted  so  cleverly  that  I  was 
not  positive  that  he  was  deceiving  me.  So  one  day  I  looped 
up  his  traces  and  tied  them  with  some  weak  cotton  thread. 
Then  I  carefully  started  the  train  and  watched.  Ca3sar 
acted  as  though  he  were  drawing  the  whole  of  the  load. 
How  he  seemed  to  tug  and  pull  and  puff,  while  his  tongue 
hung  out  of  his  mouth!  He  would  occasionally  look  back  at 
me  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye,  as  though  he  expected  the 
cheery  word  of  approval  for  his  gallant  efforts.  I  let  him 
go  on  in  this  way  for  quite  a  distance,  while,  both  amazed 
and  amused,  I  watched  his  most  consummate  hypocrisy,  for 
with  all  his  apparent  efforts  he  did  not  pull  enough  to  break 
that  cotton  thread  and  straighten  out  his  traces.  Well,  I 
straightened  him  out  with  a  whipping  that  he  remembered, 
and,  realizing  that  his  little  trick  had  been  discovered,  he 
never  tried  to  repeat  it. 

After  a  few  winters'  experience  and  many  annoyances 
with  these  native  dogs,  and  finding  that  the  grandest  part  of 


132  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

my  work  as  a  pioneer  missionary  was  what  I  could  do  in 
these  long  journeys  through  these  northern  wildernesses,  I 
banished  my  native  dogs,  with  a  few  exceptions,  and  im 
ported,  through  the  aid  of  dear  friends,  St.  Bernards  and 
Newfoundlands  in  their  place.  These  had  all  the  good  quali 
ties  of  the  Esquimaux  and  none  of  their  miserable  tricks.  As 
soon  as  I  could  dispense  with  a  driver,  and  my  muscles,  by 
vigorous  toil,  had  become  so  hardened  that  I  could  endure 
the  hardships  and  do  the  work  of  driving,  I  had  what  I  was 
proud  to  call  my  own  train.  Three  of  my  dogs  were  St. 
Bernards,  but  the  fourth  was  old  Voyageur,  a  long-legged 
cross-breed,  the  grandest  leader-dog  I  ever  drove.  When  out 
of  his  harness  he  was  a  morose,  sullen  brute,  but  once  capt 
ured  (and  it  was  not  always  an  easy  thing  to  get  our  hands 
on  him)  he  was  without  a  peer  as  a  leader.  No  horse  more 
readily  responded  to  the  touch  of  the  rein  than  he  to  the 
call  of  his  driver.  Not  only  on  the  great  lakes,  but  even  in 
the  dense  forests,  did  he  often  lead  on,  when  blinding  bliz 
zard  storms,  added  to  the  bitter  cold,  made  it  almost  impos 
sible  for  man  to  face  the  dreadful  gale. 

Faithful  old  Voyageur,  I  loved  thee  as  one  of  my  dumb 
companions,  even  if  thy  disposition  was  surly  and  thou 
didst  ever  prefer  being  let  alone  to  receiving  the  caresses  of 
friendship  which  most  dogs  love  so  well.  It  was  a  sad  day 
for  me  when  I  broke  thy  heart,  but  it  gave  me  an  insight 
into  dog  nature  such  as  I  never  had  before.  It  happened 
in  this  way:  As  Voyageur  was  getting  old,  and  I  had  a  •« 
number  of  splendid  young  dogs  of  my  St.  Bernard  and 
Newfoundland  breed,  I  thought  it  best  to  train  some  of 
them  as  leaders.  Not  one  dog  in  ten  can  be  trained  to  the 
work  of  being  a  first-class  leader.  Many  dogs  that  will  do 
admirably  in  any  other  position  in  the  train  are  not  to  be 
depended  upon  at  the  head.  For  example,  my  noble  Jack, 
the  wisest,  grandest  dog  I  ever  saw,  while  always  as  true  as 
steel  when  harnessed  as  second  or  third,  if  put  in  as  leader 
was  constantly  playing  pranks.  One  of  his  tricks  was,  if  the 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  133 

road  happened  to  be  a  specially  dangerous  one,  of'  occasion 
ally  turning  round,  and,  of  course,  bringing  the  other  dogs 
with  him,  and  coming  to  the  back  end  of  the  sled  where  I 
was  sitting  or  running,  to  see  how  I  was  getting  along. 
This,  of  course,  was  very  much  appreciated,  as  showing  his 
affection  for  his  master,  but  when  we  were  out  in  the  bitter 
cold,  with  the  thermometer  indicating  from  fifty  to  sixty  be 
low  zero,  and  very  anxious  to  get  on,  a  leader  was  preferred 
that  would  ever  keep  his  eyes  to  the  front  and  his  traces  al 
ways  taut.  So  in  the  work  of  training  a  dog  to  be  a  good 
leader  there  is  an  opportunity  for  tact  and  patience  and  a 
good  deal  of  knowledge  of  dog  nature. 

On  the  occasion  to  which  I  have'  referred  I  was  out,  with 
Voyageur  as  usual  at  the  head,  when  I  thought  I  would  see 
how  one  of  my  young  St.  Bernards  would  act  as  a  leader. 
So  I  harnessed  him  up  and  put  him  before  Voyageur,  fast 
ening,  as  we  generally  do,  the  traces  to  the  dog  behind,  as 
we  always  drive  tandem  style.  Then  I  went  back  to  my 
place  at  the  rear  of  the  sled,  and  after  putting  on  my  fur 
mitts  I  shouted  "Marche!  " — the  word  we  use  for  "go  on." 
Imagine  my  surprise  at  seeing  the  young  dog  dash  one  side, 
out  of  the  track,  completely  severed  from  the  train,  while 
old  Voyageur  led  on  the  other  dogs  as  though  nothing  had 
happened.  I  quickly  stopped  the  train,  and  on  investigat 
ing  matters  found  that  during  the  short  time  I  was  arrang 
ing  my  sled  and  putting  on  my  mitts  old  Voyageur  had 
resented  the  harnessing  of  this  young  dog  before  him,  and 
had  quickly  with  his  teeth  cut  off  both  the  traces,  which 
were  of  moose-skin,  thus  leaving  himself  in  his  right  posi 
tion  as  leader  of  the  train.  I  gave  him  a  good  scolding, 
which,  of  course,  he  received  quietly.  Then  I  caught  the 
young  dog  and  again  fastened  him  at  the  front.  As  I 
saw  a  wicked  look  in  Voyageur's  eyes  I  took  out  my  whip, 
and,  as  I  suspected,  the  instant  I  turned  to  go  to  the  rear  of 
the  sled,  again  his  sharp  teeth  were  cutting  the  traces. 
Turning  quickly  back,  I  caught  him'  ere  much  damage  was 


134  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

done  and  gave  him  a  good  whipping.  Then  straightening 
out  the  dogs  I  started  them  on  the  trail,  still  keeping  my 
eyes  on  Voyageur.  The  young  dog  did  well,  but  Voyageur 
was  indignant,  and  several  times  tried  to  cut  him  off,  and 
for  this  I  punished  him.  When  he  found  out  that  he  could 
not  succeed  his  old  proud  spirit  left  him,  and  with  head 
and  tail  down  he  slouched  along  like  a  frightened  wolf. 
He  was  never  the  same  dog  after.  His  heart  was  broken. 
Vainly  I  tried  to  pet  him,  and  gave  him  the  warmest  bed 
and  best  of  food,  and  gave  him  the  lead  of  my  finest  dogs, 
but  he  was  never  the  same  and  never  forgave  me  for  the  in 
sult  of  putting  a  mere  pup  before  him  to  usurp  the  place  he 
had  so  long  and  faithfully  filled.  I  kept  him  for  a  year  or 
so,  but  his  spirits  were  all  gone.  Gloomily  and  morosely 
would  he  skulk  along,  grudgingly  aiding  in  dragging  home 
wood  or  fish.  One  day,  after  watching  the  trains  start  off 
upon  a  journey  where  he  was  not  required,  he  set  up  a  dis 
mal  howling  and  then  went  off  and  died.  Poor  old  dog! 
He  had  not  sufficient  of  the  spirit  of  self-abnegation  or 
equanimity  to  accept  the  situation  of  these  utilitarian  days, 
which  so  rudely  push  aside,  for  the  crude  and  untested,  the 
tried  and  experienced,  no  matter  how  grand  may  have  been 
their  labors  or  how  valuable  the  rich  stores  of  their  experi 
ences  '  may  be  to  those  who  often  find  themselves  sorely  in 
need  of  them. 

Some  of  my  other  dogs  were  Jack,  Cuffy,  and  Muff.  Jack 
was  a  smooth-haired  black  St.  Bernard.  He  stood  thirty- 
three  inches  high  at  his  fore-shoulders,  and  his  hard-working 
weight  was  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds.  He  could 
do  almost  every  thing  that  a  dog  can  do.  If  the  wood-box 
in  the  kitchen  became  empty — and  it  often  did,  as  we  used 
nothing  but  wood  for  fuel  in  that  cold  north  country — all  Mrs. 
Young  had  to  do  was  to  say,  "  Why,  Jack,  I  am  ashamed  of 
you  ;  do  you  not  see  I  have  no  wood  ?  "  Instantly  would  he 
spring  up  and  with  great  glee  work  away  carrying  the 
sticks  in  his  mouth  from  the  wood-pile  outside  and  indus- 


JACK  AND  ALEC. 


11 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  185 

triously  continue  at  the  work  until  he  had  filled  the  large 
box,  which  would  hold  several  dozen  pieces,  although  each 
stick  was  between  two  and  three  feet  long  and  weighed 
several  pounds.  He  could  open  doors  from  either  side,  and 
knew  the  difference  between  gloves,  slippers,  moccasins,  or 
other  things  for  which  he  was  often  sent.  He  was  the  finest- 
dog  I  ever  shot  over,  and  to  him  we  were  often  indebted  for  a 
meal,  when  perhaps  but  for  him  we  would  have  gone  hungry. 
One  day  as  we  rose  from  a  rather  poor  breakfast,  which 
consisted  principally  of  a  piece  of  cooked  wild  cat,  Mrs. 
Young  said  to  me,  "My  dear,  that  was  the  last  food  in 
the  house,  and  unless  you  succeed  in  shooting  something  for 
dinner  or  an  Indian  hunter  happens  to  bring  in  some  game 
I  am  afraid  there  will  be  no  dinner."  As  the  Indian  hunters 
were  at  some  distant  hunting-grounds  I  knew  there  was  but 
a  slim  chance  of  immediately  receiving  aid  from  them,  so  I 
took  my  gun  and,  calling  to  Jack,  I  started  off  to  see  what 
could  be  obtained.  After  hunting  unsuccessfully  a  while  for 
partridges  I  went  down  toward  the  great  lake  and  was 
gladdened  at  seeing  a  couple  of  mallard  ducks  go  flying  by 
and  alighting  among  the  waves.  Creeping  cautiously  along 
to  the  nearest  point,  with  Jack  crouching  at  my  heels,  I 
found  that  the  ducks  were  a  long  way  out,  and,  what  made  it 
worse,  a  stiff  breeze  was  blowing  from  the  land,  making  heavy 
waves.  However,  I  waited  patiently  behind  a  clump  of 
willows,  and  was  at  length  rewarded  by  seeing  the  two 
ducks,  which  for  a  time  had  been  swimming  about  twenty 
feet  apart,  so  come  into  line  that  they  both  formed  a  good 
though  distant  target.  Instantly  I  fired,  and  fortunately  with 
the  one  shot  killed  them  both.  "  All  right,  Jack  !  "  I  said  to 
my  noble  dog,  who  quickly  sprang  into  the  seething  waters, 
and  soon  reached  the  first  duck.  Seizing  it  in  his  mouth  he 
turned  for  the  shore,  when  I  sprang  on  a  rock  and  shouted 
to  him,  "There  is  another  one,  Jack."  At  once  he  turned 
around  and  looked  back,  but  as  a  wave  just  then  hid  the 
second  from  him  he  could  not  see  it,  and  so  again  he  turned 


136  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAMS 

toward  the  shore.  Again  I  shouted,  "  There  is  another  duck, 
Jack.  Try  and  bring  them  both,  good  dog."  Once  more  he 
turned,  and  this  time  he  waited  until  a  big  crested  wave  so 
lifted  him  up  that  he  was  able  to  see  in  the  trough  of  the  waters 
the  other  duck.  Instantly  he  swam  out  to  it,  still  holding  on 
to  the  first  one.  He  succeeded  in  getting  both  of  their  necks 
in  his  mouth,  with  their  bodies  each  side  of  him,  and  swam  to 
shore.  As  the  ducks  were  very  large  ones  and  he  had  to  swim 
against  the  wind  and  waves  he  had  a  hard  time  of  it,  but  he 
gallantly  persevered,  and  so  we  had  a  good  dinner  that  day. 

The  only  thing  at  which  Jack  was  a  complete  failure  was 
rabbit-hunting.  He  was  so  large  that  the  rabbits  used  to 
dodge  alt  around  him,  and  there  were  some  that  lived  near 
the  mission  which  seemed  to  enjoy  his  desperate  but  futile 
efforts  to  capture  them.  Without  the  use  of  a  whip  he  was 
broken  in  to  his  work,  and  for  many  winters  was  the  sheet- 
anchor  of  my  train.  Other  dogs  might  tire  out,  but  Jack 
never  would  give  in.  Master  and  men  and  the  other  dogs 
might  seem  to  lose  heart  and  become  almost  discouraged  and 
despondent  after  long  hours  of  struggling  in  the  treacherous 
blizzard  or  howling  gale  and  bitter  cold,  but  Jack's  head  was 
ever  up,  and  his  cheery  bark,  ringing  through  the  wintry 
tempest,  gave  fresh  heart,  and  nerved  to  desperate  effort  to 
reach  the  friendly  shelter  of  distant  wigwams  or  balsam  for 
est  till  the  fury  of  the  storm  was  spent. 

Faithful  Jack  !  thou  wert  ever  true  when  in  thy  place  in 
the  train,  not  only  when  dashing  along  over  the  emerald  ice 
fields  of  the  great  frozen  lakes  at  the  rate  of  eighty  or  ninety 
miles  a  day,  but  also  in  the  dreary  forests  where  no  vestige 
of  a  road  was  seen,  where  the  snow  was  deep  and  the  ob 
struction  from  logs,  rocks,  and  dangerous  places  were  con 
stantly  opposing  our  progress  and  were  so  very  trying  to 
both  dogs  and  men.  And  when  through  long  delays  by 
blizzard  storms,  or  when,  alas!  our  caches  of  food  had  been 
discovered  and  devoured  by  prowling  wolves,  and  dogs  as 
well  as  their  masters  were  reduced  to  rations  of  only  half  the 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  137 

usual  size,  and  thy  big,  pleading  eyes  looked  up  and  seemed 
to  ask  for  more,  the  empty  hands  of  thy  master  held  up  and 
shown  thee  were  all  that  was  necessary  to  make  thee  submis 
sive  to  thy  lot,  while  native  dogs  had  to  be  chained  to  the 
trees  around  to  keep  them,  in  those  days  of  short  supplies, 
from  devouring  every  thing,  even  to  our  shoes  and  harness, 
if  they  could  get  their  teeth  upon  them. 

Faithful  Jack!  Dog  thou  wert,  and  so  short  was  thy  life! 
After  a  few  years  of  toil  thy  work  was  ended,  and  now  beneath 
the  old  maple-tree  thy  worn-out  body  sleeps  in  peace.  But 
never  can  I  forget  how,  after  the  days  of  toilsome  traveling  in 
the  bitter  cold  were  ended,  thou  didst  watch  so  wisely  while 
my  wintry  camp  was  in  construction.  This  camp,  which  was 
often  but  an  excavation  in  the  snow  with  a  diminutive  barri 
cade  of  balsam  boughs  erected  on  the  windward  side  to  arrest 
the  force  of  the  pitiless  gale,  was  all  the  protection  which 
the  country  could  offer  to  thy  wearied  and  frost-bitten  mas 
ter.  Interested  didst  thou  ever  seem  while,  with  his  faith 
ful  Indians,  thy  master  ate  his  frugal  meal  and  joined  with 
them  in  their  evening  devotions,  where,  instead  of  the  pealing 
notes  of  some  glorious  old  organ  sounding  forth  amid  the 
columns,  aisles,  and  arches  of  a  grand  cathedral,  we  sang  our 
evening  songs  in  unison  or  discord  with  the  diapasons  of  the 
blizzard  storms  which  howled  through  the  gloomy  forest  of 
that  wild  north-land.  Then,  when  my  trusty  guide  had 
spread  out  my  camp-bed  of  fur  robes  and  blankets,  and 
had  carefully  tucked  me  in  with  all  a  mother's  love,  can  I 
ever  forget  how  thou,  as  thy  master's  favorite,  didst  claim 
the  honor  of  sleeping  at  his  back  and  with  thy  huge  body 
add  greatry  to  his  comfort  and  possibly  save  him  from  fall 
ing  a  victim  to  the  terrible  Frost  King?  Noble  Jack!  thy 
love  never  wavered  and  thy  heart  never  failed. 


138  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  XL 

MORE    INDIAN    DEPUTATIONS CAUGHT    IN    A    BLIZZARD  STORM 

ON     LAKE    WINNIPEG ALONE    AND    BEWILDERED    IN    THE 

GALE EXPEDIENT  TO  KEEP  FROM  BEING  LOST WELCOME 

WAR-WHOOP — FAITHFUL  INDIANS — A  NOISY  RECEPTION 

CEREMONIOUS     COUNCIL RELIGIOUS      SERVICES TREATY 

DISCUSSIONS — THE  INSIDE  VIEW  OF  PAGANISM WOMAN'S 

SAD  AND  HUMILIATING  CONDITION MY  BREACH  OF  ETI 
QUETTE  IN  KINDLY  PREACHING  TO  THEM CONTRAST  BE 
TWEEN  WOMAN'S  CONDITION  IN  PAGAN  AND  CHRISTIAN 

VILLAGES INVALID   MOTHER  CARRIED  TO   CHURCH. 

«  4  YUM-E-A-OO-KEE-MOU,"  *  said  an  Indian  lad  to  me 
-£*•  one  day  as  he  came  into  my  study  at  Norway  House, 
"  there  is  a  band  of  strange  Indians  outside  who  have  come 
to  have  a  talk  with  you."  When  they  were  brought  in  I 
Found  that  they  lived  many  miles  away,  and  that  they  had 
come  to  have  me  go  and  visit  their  land  to  give  them  advice, 
and,  if  necessary,  be  their  spokesman  with  the  government 
agents,  who  were  soon  expected  to  come  to  make  a  treaty 
with  them.  I  felt  highly  honored  in  having  such  confidence 
reposed  in  me  by  a  band  of  pagan  Indians  who  had  known 
me  only  by  reputation,  and  who  had  sent  a  delegation  so  far 
on,  to  them,  so  important  a  matter.  I  was  also  much  pleased 
ut  this  invitation,  as  it  would  give  me  such  a  good  opportunity 
to  preach  the  Gospel  in  a  place  where  it  had  as  yet  never  been 
heard.  As  soon  as  possible  I  responded  to  their  request.  I 
commenced  the  trip  one  beautiful  wintry  day,  accompanied 
by  tAVO  Indians.  We  had  with  us  two  splendid  dog-trains. 
Our  course  lay  at  first  down  the  eastern  coast  of  Lake  Win 
nipeg,  and  was  then  directly  across  its  wide  expanse  to  the 

*  Ayum-e-a-oo-kee-mou  literally  means  "  the  praying  master,"  and  is  the 
Cree  name  of  the  missionary. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  139 

western  shore.  The  first  part  of  the  trip  was  performed  with 
out  any  unusual  incident  and  occupied  us  a  couple  of  days  in 
making  it.  Our  last  camp  ere  we  crossed  the  lake  was  made 
in  a  grove  of  balsam  trees.  Here,  with  no  walls  around  us 
but  the  primeval  forest,  and  no  roof  above  us  but  heaven's 
glorious  star-decked  canopy,  we  lay  down  in  our  robes  and 
blankets  in  the  snow  and  slept.  The  cold  was  intense,  but 
in  spite  of  it  we  had  a  few  hours  of  refreshing  sleep,  as  we 
were  very  weary.  Before  midnight  the  clouds  gathered  and 
there  was  a  heavy  fall  of  snow.  This  was  to  us,  while  we  were 
in  our  bed,  as  an  extra  comforter.  While  enjoying  the  ad 
ditional  warmth  it  gave  us,  we  little  imagined  the  trick  it  was 
going  to  play  upon  us  and  the  danger  we  would  in  a  few  hours 
be  in  on  account  of  it.  We  arose  hours  before  day,  kindled 
up  our  fire,  cooked  our  breakfast,  packed  our  sleds,  harnessed 
our  dogs,  knelt  down  together  and  said  our  morning  prayers, 
and  then,  after  throwing  the  balsam  boughs  on  which  we  had 
slept  on  the  fire,  aided  by  its  brightness  we  wended  our  way 
out  from  the  forest  gloom  on  to  the  frozen  surface  of  the  great 
lake.  Winnipeg,  which  is  the  Cree  word  for  the  sea,  is  well 
named,  as  this  great  lake  is  one  of  the  largest  and  stormiest 
on  the  continent.  When  we  started  to  cross  it  the  stars  were 
shining  brightly  above  us.  So  much  snow  had  fallen  during 
the  recent  storm  that  the  traveling  was  very  heavy  upon  the 
dogs.  The  result  was  that  missionary  and  Indians  were  all 
obliged  to  tie  on  their  snow-shoes,  and  for  hours  in  this  way 
tramp  along  ahead  to  make  a  temporary  road  over  which  our 
noble  dogs  might  drag  their  heavy  loads.  For  hours  we 
tramped  on.  The  snow  was  of  such  a  character  that  my  two 
Indians  and  myself  had  to  walk  on  in  single  file  ahead  of  our 
dogs.  This  beaten  trail  made  the  work  easier  for  them,  as 
they  gallantly  followed  us  dragging  their  heavy  loaded  sleds. 
As  we  journeyed  on  the  magnificent  Northern  Lights  flashed 
and  scintillated  with  a  beauty  and  splendor  unknown  in  more 
southern  regions.  Sometimes  they  formed  themselves  into  a 
corona  at  the  zenith  so  dazzlingly  beautiful  that  we  could  only 


140  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

think  of  it  as  a  fitting  diadem  for  Him  "on  whose  head  are 
many  crowns."  After  a  while  the  auroras  flitted  away  and 
the  stars  paled  into  oblivion.  The  eastern  sky  behind  us 
became  crimson  and  purple,  and  then  the  monarch  of  the  day 
sprang  up  from  his  snowy  bed.  My  faithful  attendants,  re 
joicing  that  the  long  night  was  ended,  shouted  out,  "  Sagastao ! 
Sagastao ! "  ("The  sun  rises !  the  sun  rises ! ")  And  the  mission 
ary,  too,  although  he  had  had  food  for  thought  in  the  chang 
ing,  flitting  glories  that  had  adorned  the  heavens  in  the  night- 
watch  before  the  dawn,  also  rejoiced  that  the  day  had  come. 
The  light,  fine  snow  made  the  traveling  very  heavy,  and 
we  made  but  slow  progress  in  comparison  with  trips  made  on 
this  same  lake  in  other  years,  when  the  icy  pavement,  swept 
by  the  winds,  was  so  firm  and  hard  that  we  have  dashed  along 
at  the  rate  of  ninety  miles  a  day.  When  about  twelve  or 
fifteen  miles  from  the  bold  headlands  of  the  western  shore, 
which  in  that  clear  atmosphere  could  be  most  distinctly  seen, 
I  said  to  my  Indians,  who  could  without  any  trouble  travel 
much  faster  than  I,  "  Perhaps  you  had  better  push  on  with 
the  dogs  to  the  shore,  as  time  is  precious.  Make  for  yonder 
headland,  and,  if  possible,  by  the  time  you  have  the  snow 
cleared  away,  the  fire  built,  and  dinner  cooked  I  will  be  with 
you."  To  this  they  gladly  assented  and  quickly  struck  off 
at  a  rapid  rate.  The  dogs  also  quickened  their  pace  into  a 
swinging  trot  and  closely  followed  them,  although  at  first 
some  of  them,  especially  my  noble  St.  Bernard  Jack,  the  gift 
of  Senator  Sanford,  of  Hamilton,  looked  back  with  wistful 
regret  that  his  loved  master  was  being  so  rapidly  left  behind. 
The  distance  between  us  quickly  increased,  although  I  kept 
steadily  tramping  on.  The  fact  was,  my  early  education  in 
this  essential  branch  of  knowledge  for  a  North-west  mis 
sionary  had  been  so  sadly  neglected  that  now,  in  the  test 
ing  time,  I  found  myself  not  able  to  toe  the  mark  or  to  keep 
step  with  my  bronzed  parishioners.  But  although  being  dis 
tanced  I  was  not  discouraged  ;  I  remembered  the  proverb, 
"  Perseverance  conquers  all  things,"  and  so  I  persevered  and 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  141 

kept  marching  on.  The  day  was  a  glorious  one  for  such  vig 
orous  exercise.  Very,  cold  it  was,  but  tramping  on  snow- 
shoes  is  warmth-producing  work.  The  sun  shone  down 
brightly  upon  us,  and  there  was  something  exhilarating  in  the 
atmosphere.  The  trail  before  me  was  well  marked  by  my 
forerunners,  and  the  distant  headlands  were  rapidly  becom 
ing  more  vivid  and  distinct.  And  so  there  was  a  pleasurable 
excitement  in  the  long  tramp,  and  I  was  congratulating  my 
self  that  after  all  I  was  better  off  than  many  others.  But  as 
I  was  thus  thinking,  while  I  kept  marching  along,  I  happened 
to  turn  my  eyes  northward,  where  the  sky  and  snow  seemed 
to  meet,  and  there  was  a  sight  that  quickened  my  pace  and 
rudely  broke  up  the  even  tenor  of  my  thoughts.  Far  away 
northward  a  blizzard  storm  was  visible,  and  it  was  coming 
southward  with  a  rapidity  that  could  hardly  be  imagined. 

The  fine,  light,  dry  snow  that  had  so  recently  fallen  was 
being  lifted  up  by  its  power,  arid  now  like  a  great  cloud-like 
wall  it  kept  looming  up  larger  and  denser  and  was  bearing 
down  rapidly  upon  us.  Miles  ahead  of  rne  I  could  see  my 
men  hurrying  on  toward  the  welcome  shelter  of  the  forest- 
covered  bluffs,  which  from  them  were  not  far  off.  I  realized 
my  danger  and  hurried  on  as  quickly  as  I  could  run,  for  I 
well  knew  that  the  instant  the  storm  reached  me  not  a  ves 
tige  of  the  well-defined  trailof  my  traveling  companions  would 
be  seen.  The  first  blast  of  that  gale  would  obliterate  all  im 
pressions  of  snow-shoes  and  dog-trains.  With  a  deafening 
roar  at  length  it  overwhelmed  me,  and  with  a  suddenness  that 
was  almost  bewildering.  The  bright,  cloudless  sky  was  ob 
scured,  the  brilliant  sun  seemed  annihilated,  the  trail  was  de 
stroyed,  my  Indians  and  dogs  were  lost  sight  of,  and  I  seemed 
imprisoned  in  a  space  so  confined  that  the  impression  very 
vividly  came  that  soon  there  would  not  be  room  enough  in 
which  to  move.  So  dry  and  cold  was  the  atmosphere  that 
the  vast  clouds  of  snow  which  were  being  lifted  up  from  the 
icy  pavement  of  the  great  lake  were  like  fine,  dry  ashes.  I 
was  almost  overwhelmed  in  it  as  it  madly  swept  along.  It 


142  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

was  so  thick  in  the  air  that  I  could  literally  seize  it  in  hand- 
fuls.  At  times  I  could  not  see  ten  feet  around  or  above  me. 
Keeping  the  wind  on  my  right  side,  as  I  was  traveling  west 
ward,  I  hurried  on.  After  a  while,  knowing  by  bitter  expe 
rience  the  fickle,  changing  character  of  these  storms,  for  there 
are  many  instances  where  the  wind  without  abating  has  been 
known  to  change  around  and  blow  from  almost  every  point 
of  the  compass  within  the  space  of  twelve  hours,  I  began  to 
be  haunted  with  the  idea  that  the  wind  had  veered  and  that 
I  had  got  out  of  my  course,  and,  instead  of  now  going  across 
I  was  going  northward  on  the  lake.  If  this  surmise  or  fear 
were  true,  a  tramp  of  a  hundred  miles  or  more  would  have  to 
be  taken  ere  the  northern  shore  would  have  been  reached. 
Well  knowing  the  impossibility  of  being  able  to  accomplish 
such  a  task,  I  began  pondering  over  what  had  best  be  done. 
Judging  by  the  distance  traveled  since  my  dogs  and  men  left 
me  I  felt  certain  that  I  could  not  be  more  than  six  or  eight 
miles  from  the  shore.  So  this  was  decided  upon,  that  whatever 
else  happened  I  must  not  get  any  farther  from  the  land.  I 
felt  certain  that  I  could  keep  myself  alive  for  at  least  twenty- 
four  hours  by  vigorous  exercise,  and  there  was  the  hope  that 
as  the  wind  was  so  fierce  in  that  time  it  would  have  lifted  up 
and  so  driven  away  the  late  snow-fall,  heavy  as  it  was,  that  the 
shore  would  become  visible  and  I  could  escape*.  So  I  decided 
upon  a  course  of  action,  and  it  was  this  :  I  would  take  off  one 
of  my  snow-shoes  and  fasten  it  upright  in  the  hard  snow  on 
the  ice,  and  around  this  I  would  keep  rapidly  moving  in  a 
small  circle.  This  plan  would  keep  me  from  wandering  out 
on  the  lake,  and  also  afford  me  all  the  exercise  necessary  to 
save  me  from  freezing  to  death.  No  sooner  thought  out  than 
done.  But  I  had  hardly  got  my  plan  into  working  order  be 
fore  something  better  happened.  Coming  through  the  gale 
I  heard  the  "Ho  !  Ho  !  Ho-o-o-o-o!  "  of  my  faithful  Indians, 
and  very  musically  did  that  whoop,  which  has  startled  many 
a  rival  camp  and  terrified  many  a  frontier  settlement  as  the 
signal  for  the  massacre  and  the  more  dreaded  torture,  fall 


LOST   IN   A    BLIZZARD   STORM. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  143 

upon  my  ears.  I  shouted  back  through  the  roaring  gale  as 
well  as  possible,  and  again  fastening  on  my  snow-shoe  I 
rushed  through  the  blinding  storm,  guided  by  the  welcome 
war-whoop,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  missionary  and  his 
faithful  Indians  were  together  again. 

We  hastily  piled  up  the  dog-sleds  as  a  little  barrier  against 
the  gale,  then  we  pulled  the  hoods  of  our  coats  well  up  over 
our  caps  and  huddled  down  together  on  the  lee  side  of  our 
slight  barricade,  with  our  back  to  the  storm  and  our  faces 
almost  between  our  knees.  Our  dogs  curled  themselves  up 
around  us  and  were  soon  almost  invisible  in  the  snow.  For 
hours  the  storm  raged  on.  Then  very  gradually  the  sun  and 
sky  appeared.  Our  horizon  slowly  extended  until  at  length 
the  distant  shore  became  visible.  Every  thing  above  us  and 
in  the  distance  seemed  as  before,  but  under  us  the  change 
was  very  great.  Instead  of  sinking  in  several  inches  of  snow 
we  trod  once  more  on  the  firm,  solid,  icy  pavement.  The 
wind,  as  if  to  make  amends  for  having  almost  buried  us  in 
the  snow,  now  seemed  to  search  us  most  carefully  for  every 
particle,  which  it  whirled  instantly  away.  The  dogs,  which 
appeared  during  the  fierceness  of  the  storm  as  if  buried  in  a 
snowy  grave,  were  nowr  left  completely  denuded  of  it  and 
stood  shivering  on  the  glaring  ice.  We  straightened  out  our 
trains,  tied  our  snow-shoes  to  the  sleds — for  there  was  now  no 
more  use  for  them — and  resumed  our  journey.  In  less  than 
an  hour  we  were  in  the  welcome  forest  and  busily  engaged 
in  preparing  the  wintry  camp  and  the  evening  meal.  While 
under  renewed  obligations  to  Him  who  holds  the  winds  and 
the  waves  under  his  control,  I  was  also  profoundly  and  grate 
fully  impressed  with  the  promptness,  courage,  and  self-sacri 
fice  of  my  noble  Indians,  who,  although  shelter  and  safety 
were  within  their  reach,  for  they  could  have  easily  made  the 
shore,  yet,  at  the  risk  of  losing  their  own  lives,  had  unhesi 
tatingly  turned  back  into  the  blinding  storm  to  reach  and 
rescue  or,  if  not,  to  perish  with  their  beloved  missionary. 

The  next  morning  we  continued  our  iourney  down  the  great 
12 


144  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

lake.  The  day  was  bright,  the  ice  good,  our  dogs  were  in  capi 
tal  spirits,  our  loads  were  not  very  heavy,  and  so  we  were  able 
to  make  good  progress.  A  little  after  night-fall  we  reached 
our  destination,  and  were  very  cordially  received  by  the  In 
dians,  who  had  long  been  on  the  lookout  for  us,  and  who  were 
specially  adorned  with  all  their  finery  for  the  occasion. 

After  we  had  been  liberally  fed  on  white  fish,  and  had 
quenched  our  thirst  with  some  strong  tea,  and  knew  that  our 
weary  dogs  were  well  cared  for,  we  were  escorted  to  the  big 
square  structure  known  as  the  council-house.  Nearly  every 
Indian  village  of  any  pretension  has  its  council  tent  or  house. 
In  them  the  people  frequently  assemble.  All  questions  per 
taining  to  the  welfare  of  the  inhabitants  themselves  and 
their  relationship  to  other  villages  or  tribes  are  there  dis 
cussed.  In  these  council-rooms  speeches  of  rare  eloquence 
are  sometimes  delivered,  for  the  Indian,  generally  so  chary  of 
his  words  under  ordinary  circumstances,  is  very  ambitious  to 
excel  as  a  public  speaker  in  the  councils  of  his  own  people, 
and  to  have  his  name  sounded  abroad  among  other  tribes  as 
a  great  orator.  The  house  into  which  we  were  ushered  was 
well  filled  by  men,  women,  and  children,  all  arranged  in  their 
own  places  according  to  the  strict  Indian  idea  of  etiquette. 
As  an  expected  and  invited  visitor  I  was  given  the  place  of 
honor,  next  to  the  principal  chief.  His  associates  were  next 
to  him,  and  I  observed  with  great  pleasure  a  sign  that  they 
must  be  prospering,  namely,  that  so  many  of  the  men  were  well 
dressed.  However,  as  I  was  able  to  take  in  the  whole  situa 
tion,  my  heart  was  saddened  as  I  observed  here,  as  I  had 
seen  elsewhere  among  the  pagan  Indians,  the  women  were 
literally  "  driven  to  the  wall "  and  clothed  in  wretched  ap 
parel.  Very  different  in  appearance  were  they  from  the 
men.  Not  the  least  sign  was  there  of  any  personal  adorn 
ment.  While  the  men  and  boys  held  up  their  heads  most 
proudly,  and  by  their  fearless  gaze  told  of  a  race  not  one  of 
whom  has  ever  yet  been  enslaved,  the  poor  women  and  girls 
crouched  in  the  outer  circle  and  drew  their  old  shawls  or 


r* 


/ 


I  Jf 


AN   INDIAN  WOMAN  IN  NATIVE  DRESS. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  I4o 

dirty  blankets  over  their  heads,  pictures  of  absolute  serfdom. 
For  hours,  like  bent-up  mummies,  there  they  remained,  as 
still  and  motionless  as  of  the  dead. 

The  calumet,  or  pipe  of  peace,  was  lit  and  ceremoniously 
passed  around,  as  is  customary  on  such  occasions.  The  head 
chief  began  the  speech-making,  and  for  an  hour  or  two  he  and 
others  had  the  talking  in  their  own  hands.  When  my  turn 
came,  ere  I  referred  to  the  matter  of  treaty-making  with  the 
government,  I  called  my  Christian  dog-drivers  to  my  side,  and 
with  their  aid  I  held  a  religious  service.  My  men  were  good 
singers,  and  so  for  the  first  time  the  sweet  songs  of  Zion  were 
heard  in  that  council-room.  After  reading  some  portions  of 
the  good  book  and  engaging  in  prayer  I  gave  them  an  address 
or  sermon.  This  was  the  first  one  that  they  had  ever  heard. 
Great  indeed  was  their  interest  in  what  I  said,  but  instead  of 
expressing  their  approval  or  dissent  to  my  utterances  in 
words,  as  had  other  Indians  to  whom  for  the  first  time  I  had 
gone  with  the  message,  they  got  out  their  pipes  and  began 
smoking;  and  it  did  appear  to  me  that  the  more  impressed 
they  were  the  harder  they  smoked,  as  though  the  fumes  of 
tobacco  would  enable  them  to  better  understand.  At  times 
it  seemed  as  though  every  man  and  most  of  the  larger  boys 
were  smoking.  I  had  been  longing  and  praying  for  the  cloud 
of  the  divine  glory  to  overshadow  us,  but,  O,  humiliating 
contrast!  while  with  clouds  we  were  surrounded,  through 
which  we  could  but  dimly  see,  they  were  clouds  of  vile 
tobacco-smoke.  However,  I  lifted  up  my  voice,  and  preached 
away  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  then  requested  my  godly  at 
tendants  to  tell  these  wild  savages  the  story  of  their  accept 
ance  of  Christ  and  the  blessedness  of  this  new  way.  "When 
the  religious  services  closed  we  had  a  few  minutes'  delay,  and 
then  entered  into  the  discussion  of  the  secular  matters  about 
which  they  were  so  much  interested  as  to  invite  me  to  their 
land  and  aid.  Many  addresses  were  delivered,  and  while 
some  of  the  more  ignorant  ones  launched  out  into  extrava 
gant  expressions  in  reference  to  the  demands  they  intended 


146  STOfiJES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

to  make  ere  they  would  sign  the  treaty  with  the  govern 
ment,  yet  on  the  whole  there  was  really  much  more  common 
sense  in  the  remarks  of  the  majority  than  I  had  looked  for. 
Indian  like,  they  were  good  talkers  at  the  council-fire,  and  I 
was  very  much  interested  and  pleased  with  some  of  the  illus 
trations  used  and  flights  of  fancy  indulged  in  by  some  of 
these  natural  orators.  Some  of  the  speeches  were  delivered 
with  great  energy,  and  while  there  was  a  good  deal  of  diver 
sity  of  opinion  on  several  matters  I  could  not  but  be  pleased 
with  the  courtesy  and  deference  with  which  each  speaker 
was  treated.  There  were  no  rude  interruptions  or  noisy 
sounds  of  disapproval,  no  matter  how  much  they  might  happen 
to  differ  from  any  speaker.  In  this  respect  it  was  a  model 
political  meeting,  and  I  was  charmed  with  its  spirit,  and  could 
not  but  admire  the  cleverness  and  ability  of  several  of  its 
members.  If  a  superficial  observer  had  been  present  he  might 
have  said,  "  Why  trouble  this  people  by  offering  them  the 
Gospel  and  schools  and  civilization?  They  are  well  off  as  they 
are."  And  he  might  justly  have  added,  "See  how  vastly 
superior  their  conduct  in  transacting  their  business  in  reference 
to  their  state  affairs  around  their  council-fires  is  to  similar  po 
litical  meetings  in  the  so-called  civilized  and  Christian  lands." 
This  is  all  true,  but  after  all  it  is  only  a  little  polish  on  the 
surface  of  their  sinful  natures,  and  before  that  long  night- 
meeting  at  that  Indian  council-fire  broke  up  an  incident 
happened  which  showed  the  native  savage  Indian  man  in 
his  true  character.  About  midnight  the  stately  decorum  of 
the  meeting  wore  off,  and  as  the  set  speeches  had  all  been 
delivered  a  more  conversational  character  was  given  to  the 
council.  Questions  were  asked  and  answered,  and  a  good 
deal  of  conversation  was  going  on  among  the  principal  men. 
All  at  once  I  noticed  a  good  deal  of  excitement  among  the 
men,  and  on  looking  to  find  out  the  cause  of  it  I  was 
surprised  to  observe  that  it  was  because  an  old  woman 
back  near  the  wall  had  pushed  back  her  blanket  from  her 
head  and  had  said  something  in  quiet  tones  to  another 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  147 

woman  near  her.  Sucli  a  breach  of  council  decorum  was 
dreadful  in  their  eyes,  and  so  one  of  the  "braves"  was 
sent  to  inflict  instant  and  severe  punishment.  He  rushed 
over  to  the  spot  where  the  old  woman  was,  and,  although  she 
had  soon  become  aware  of  her  error  and  had  again  covered 
up  her  head  and  crouched  down  to  the  ground,  he  rudely 
jerked  the  blanket  from  her  and  gave  her  three  severe  blows 
with  his  hand  on  the  side  of  her  head.  My  indignation  was 
aroused  at  once,  and,  springing  from  my  seat,  I  rushed  over  to 
the  spot,  and  ere  he  could  strike  her  again  I  fairly  shouted 
at  him,  "You  miserable  wretch,  to  so  strike  a  woman!  I  am 
ashamed  of  you,  you  great  coward!  Get  out  of  this!"  I 
added,  as  I  pushed  myself  in  between  him  and  the  poor 
trembling  old  woman. 

O 

The  big  rascal  at  first  was  so  amazed  at  my  decided  action 
and  strong  words  that  he  stood  there  in  silence.  Then,  find 
ing  his  tongue,  he  said,  "Women  should  not  speak  in  a 
council ; "  and  then  he  quickly  went  back  to  his  place. 

Hardly  noticing  the  flashing  eyes  of  chiefs  and  "  braves," 
for  my  conduct  had  now  been  a  great  breach  of  decorum,  I 
turned  to  the  poor  old  woman,  who,  crouched  down  with  her 
face  to  the  ground,  was  sobbing  at  my  feet.  Reaching  clown 
my  hand,  I  put  it  under  her  forehead,  and,  as  with  gentle 
force  I  raised  up  her  head,  I  said,  "  Mother,  look  up  at  me. 
I  have  some  good  news  to  tell  you."  I  had  to  use  a  good 
deal  of  persuasion  to  get  her  to  sit  back  and  look  up  at  me. 
When  she  did  so  I  found  that  she  was  an  old  woman  of  at 
least  seventy  years.  As  I  looked  into  that  poor  old  wrinkled 
face,  and  saw  there  in  its  lines  of  sorrow  and  suffering  the 
story  of  woman's  treatment,  so  harsh  and  cruel,  by  these 
haughty  tyrants,  who  think  in  their  pagan  state  that  it  is  a 
sign  of  weakness  to  say  a  kind  word  or  do  a  noble,  generous 
thing  for  a  woman,  my  sympathies  were  aroused,  and  then 
and  there  I  resolved  to  break  through  all  Indian  rules  and 
try  and  say  something  to  cheer  and  comfort  those  poor  creat 
ures  who  were  huddled  around  where  I  was  now  standing 


US  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

So,  lifting  up  my  voice,  I  said,  "  Women,  listen  to  my  words. 
My  heart  is  full  of  sorrow  at  what  I  have  seen  done  to  one 
of  your  number.  I  feel  very  sorry  for  her  and  for  you  all. 
The  Great  Spirit  never  gave  your  fathers  or  husbands  or 
brothers  or  sons  the  right  to  strike  you  like  that.  In  his 
sight  all  are  the  same.  He  loves  you  women  as  well  as  he 
does  the  men.  You  have  good  ears  and  my  voice  is  strong, 
and  you  heard  me  when  I  spoke  from  the  good  book  about 
the  love  of  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  gift  of  his  Son.  You 
heard  all  I  said.  It  is  all  for  you.  Take  it  into  your  hearts. 
It  will  comfort  you  to  receive  it.  I  know  you  have  many 
sorrows,  but  here  is  the  happiness  you  want."  In  this  strain 
I  went  on  speaking  to  those  poor  women,  who,  as  much  as 
they  dared,  pushed  back  their  old  shawls  or  blankets  from 
their  faces  and  looked  up  at  me. 

In  the  meantime  the  men,  who  at  first  seemed  confounded 
at  my  audacity  and  had  looked  on  in  astonishment,  now  in 
quite  a  number  gathered  around  the  chief  and  engaged  in 
an  excited  talk.  So  interested  had  I  become  in  talking  to 
the  poor  women  that  for  a  time  I  neither  cared  for  nor  tried 
to  catch  any  of  their  words.  But  once,  when  I  stopped 
speaking  for  a  moment,  I  overheard  one  of  the  principal  men 
say  something  like  this:  "Did  you  ever  hear  of  anything 
like  that  ?  Why,  that  missionary  is  preaching  to  the 
women  !  He  had  better  go  and  preach  to  the  dogs  next !  " 

This  incident  gives  us  the  true  picture  of  paganism. 
The  fine  speeches  and  etiquette  and  decorum  of  the  council- 
fires  are  all  very  well  in  their  place,  but  the  man  brutally 
striking  the  woman — and  I  found  out  next  day  it  was  a  son 
who  struck  his  own  mother — gives  us  the  correct  idea  of  sav 
age  Indian  life  and  the  great  need  there  is  for  the  Gospel  of 
the  Son  of  God,  which  is  the  Gospel  of  gentleness  and  love. 
Marvelous  were  the  changes  wrought  among  these  Indians 
when  they  became  Christians.  And  in  no  way  was  the 
change  greater  or  more  visible  than  in  the  improved  condi 
tion  of  woman.  In  paganism  she  has  not  the  life  of  a  dog. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  149 

She  is  kicked  and  cuffed  and  maltreated  continually.  She  is 
the  beast  of  burden  and  has  to  do  all  the  heavy  work.  If 
her  husband  shoots  a  deer  anywhere  within  several  miles  of 
the  wigwam  he  comes  marching  in,  carrying  his  gun,  and 
orders  his  wife  to  go  and  bring  in  the  game,  which  may 
weigh  anywhere  from  a  hundred  and  forty  to  two  hundred 
pounds.  This  she  has  to  carry  on  her  back  all  that  distance, 
unless  it  happens  to  be  in  the  winter.  Then  she  drags  it  on 
a  little  sled.  Very  quickly  after  they  become  Christians 
does  all  this  change.  Then  happy  homes  begin.  Mother 
and  wife  and  sister  and  daughter  are  loved  and  kindly  cared 
for.  When  they  become  aged  and  feeble  the  warmest  place 
in  the  little  home  is  assigned  to  them,  and  the  choicest  fish 
and  the  daintiest  piece  of  game  is  given  them. 

When  standing  up  in  my  pulpit  in  some  of  my  mission 
churches,  about  to  begin  the  service,  I  have  seen  what  must 
have  made  angels  rejoice.  Anyway,  my  own  eyes  were 
dimmed  with  tears  of  joy.  I  have  seen  the  big  Indian  sexton 
suddenly  throw  open  the  double  doors  of  the  church,  and, 
while  I  was  wondering  who  so  large  was  coming  in  as  to  re 
quire  two  doors  I  saw  that  it  was  two  stalwart  Indian  men 
carrying  their  invalid  mother.  With  their  four  hands 
they  had  formed  a  chair,  and  over  this  and  their  two  shoul 
ders  a  blanket  had  been  thrown,  and  there,  seated  on  their 
hands,  with  one  arm  around  the  neck  of  one  son  and  the 
other  around  the  neck  of  the  other,  was  the  poor  sick  woman 
being  tenderly  and  lovingly  carried  into  the  house  of  God, 
that  once  again  she  might  worship  with  his  people  in  his 
sanctuary.  Carefully  did  they  put  her  down  and  do  all  they 
could  to  make  her  comfortable,  and  when  the  service  ended 
with  equal  care  and  tenderness  did  they  bear  her  away  so 
lovingly  to  their  home.  Christianity  made  them  do  this.  In 
their  old  state  they  would  rather  have  died  than  thus 
carry  an  old  woman.  Now  it  is  a  labor  of  love.  Surely 
missions  are  not  failures  when  such  transformations  are 
taking  place. 


150  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  XII. 

OUT  IX  THE  BITTER  COLD THE  MISSIONARY'S  CAMP-FIRE  STORY 

OF  HIS  BITTEREST  EXPERIENCE  FROM  THE  EXTREME  COLD 
TRYING  TO  MEND  THE  BROKEN  HARNESS HANDS  FREEZ 
ING SERAPHIC  MUSIC GORGEOUS  COLORS SNOW-SHOE 

TRACKS    TRANSFORMED     INTO    LUXURIOUS    COUCHES THE 

WARNING  VOICE THE  ROUGH  TRIP RETURNING  VITALITY 

— THE  NARROW  ESCAPE  FROM  FREEZING  TO  DEATH SIM 
ILAR  EXPERIENCES  OF  ARCTIC  EXPLORERS  AND  OTHER 
NORTHERN  TRAVELERS  WHO  HAVE  BEEN  NEARLY  FROZE-N 
TO  DEATH A  NECESSARY  BUFFETING. 

«  FT1ELL  us,  missionary,  when  you  suffered  most  intensely 
-*•  from  the  cold  ?  "  This  question  was  asked  me  by  one 
of  my  dog-drivers  as  we  sat  shivering  around  a  camp-fire  in 
the  dense  forest  on  the  shores  of  Oxford  Lake  one  very  cold 
wintry  day.  I  had  been  visiting  the  noble  Christian  Indians 
at  our  mission  at  Oxford  House,  and  was  now  on  the  journey 
home.  A  blizzard  storm  had  struck  us,  and  so  terrible  was 
the  cold  that  accompanied  it  that  we  froze  every  part  of  our 
faces  exposed  to  its  pitiless  fury.  Both  Jack  and  Cuffy  froze 
their  feet,  and  some  native  dogs  perished  in  the  cold.  My 
nose,  lips,  and  even  eye-brows  were  badly  frost-bitten,  and 
every  one  of  my  Indian  dog-drivers  suffered  almost  as  mucli 
as  did  the  white  man.  Some  Hudson  Bay  Company  officials 
and  servants  had  joined  us  with  the  intention  of  traveling  to 
Norway  House.  They  were  well  supplied  with  brandy  and 
rum  and  freely  used  the  intoxicants.  At  first  they  were  in 
clined  to  scoff  at  the  persistent  refusal  of  my  Christian  Indians 
and  myself  to  take  a  drop  of  their  spirituous  liquors.  But  to 
me  it  was  no  trouble  to  refuse,  as  I  had  ever  been  a  total 
abstainer,  and  in  addition  my  own  observations  had  taught  me 


v.,.. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  151 

that  he  who  used  these  things  when  battling  with  the  terrible 
blizzard  storms,  or  in  any  way  exposed  to  the  pitiless  cold, 
did  it  to  his  own  hurt  and  put  his  life  in  additional  jeopardy. 
It  is  true  there  might  perhaps  for  a  little  time  be  a  glow  of 
warmth  and  a  short  stimulus  of  energy,  but  these  soon  van 
ished  and  the  quick  reaction  came,  and  then  the  poor  victim 
fell  far  below  the  average  traveler,  who  in  quiet,  persistent 
endurance  toiled  on  against  the  storm,  with  no  stronger 
drink  than  an  occasional  cup  of  tea,  made  where  a  little 
camp-fire  could  be  lit  in  some  sheltered  spot  in  the  forest 
or  in  a  hole  dug  in  the  snow  down  to  the  surface  of  the 
frozen  earth. 

It  was  at  one  of  these  improvised  camp-fires  among  some 
dense  balsam  trees  where  we  had  fled  for  refuge,  and  had 
made  a  fire,  cooked  some  fat  meat,  and  had  prepared  our 
kettle  of  tea,  of  which  we  were  partaking  when  the  question 
at  the  beginning  of  the  chapter  was  asked.  I  was  at  first 
almost  unable  to  say  when  I  had  most  suffered,  for  during 
several  winters  past  I  had  been  out  for  wreeks  on  these  long, 
cold,  dangerous  trips  with  my  dogs  and  Indians,  and  several 
times  the  hardships  and  sufferings  seemed  as  though  we 
could  never  survive  them.  However,  there  was  one  experi 
ence  that  I  passed  through  that  rose  up  vividly  before  me, 
and  so  while  we  drank  our  hot  tea  and  ate  our  fat  meat  I 
tried  to  describe  it  to  them. 

"I  think  I  was  nearer  freezing  to  death  last  January, 
when  returning  from  Nelson  River,  than  I  ever  was  on  any 
other  occasion.  I  had  three  trains  of  my  own  dogs,  and 
was  attended  by  three  Indians,  the  guide  and  two  dog- 
drivers.  The  route  we  had  taken  was  so  very  wild  and 
rough  that  the  guide  had  to  go  on  ahead  the  whole  distance 
of  three  hundred  miles  and  break  the  way  with  his  snow- 
shoes.  I  drove  my  favorite  train,  and  the  other  Indians  had 
charge  of  the  other  trains.  We  succeeded  in  getting  down 
to  Kelson  River  all  right,  although  it  took  us  seven  days. 
"The  snow  was  deep  and  we  had  to  open  the  trail  all  the  way. 


152  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAMS 

At  the  Wolf's  Cave,  as  we  were  about  to  go  down  the  steep 
wall-like  precipice,  the  guide  said  I  had  better  ride  down, 
and  he  would,  by  holding  on  to  the  ropes  of  the  sled,  try  to 
steady  it  and  keep  it  from  running  over  the  dogs.  The  dogs 
were  in  the  highest  spirits  and  eager  to  go,  especially  as  a 
black  fox  had  for  a  moment  been  visible  before  us  and  had 
then  quickly  disappeared  over  a  hill  in  the  direction  we  were 
going.  Although  the  snow  was  deep,  yet  as  our  route  was 
down  hill  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  our  dogs  from  going 
down  at  full  speed.  Just  as  we  reached  the  steepest  place 
the  rope,  which  was  in  the  hands  of  the  guide,  who  was 
endeavoring  to  hold  back  the  sled,  which  had  been  running 
at  full  speed,  suddenly  broke.  The  instant  the  rope  sepa 
rated  he  fell  on  his  back  in  the  snow,  but  as  he  did  so  he 
shouted  out  to  me,  '  Mind  your  eyes,  missionary ! '  And 
there  was  great  need  for,  and  wisdom  in,  his  advice,  for  the 
moment  the  rope  broke,  which  in  his  hand  had  been  as  a  brake, 
away  dashed  the  sled  at  a  fearful  rate.  Over  the  dogs  we 
rushed  like  a  small  avalanche,  mixing  them  in  strange  con 
fusion  and  winding  them  up  in  the  traces  of  their  harness. 
So  steep  was  the  precipice  that  there  was  no  possibility  of 
stopping  until  we  had  reached  the  bottom,  and  there  in  the 
deep  snow  we  plunged;  missionary,  dogs,  sled,  ropes,  and 
blankets  were  mixed  in  one  strangely  tangled  mass.  Fortu 
nately,  nobody  was  hurt,  and  the  Indians  who  had  hurried  to 
our  rescue  as  they  dragged  us  out  of  the  deep  drift  laughed 
heartily  at  our  rapid  descent  of  the  famous  Wolf's  Cave. 

"  We  had  a  joyous  welcome  and  a  very  pleasant  and  profit 
able  visit  among  the  Nelson  River  Indians,  a  goodly  number 
of  whom  had  but  lately  renounced  their  old  paganism  and  had 
heartily  accepted  of  Christianity.  They  listened  with  the 
greatest  respect  to  the  word,  and  their  anxiety  and  eagerness 
to  hear  all  they  could  of  the  essential  truths  of  salvation 
repaid  me  a  thousand-fold  for  the  sufferings  and  hardships 
of  the  journey  to  their  land.  Nothing  of  very  special  im 
portance  occurred  during  the  first  day  or  two  of  the  return 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  153 

journey,  although  the  weather  was  intensely  cold,  but  fortu 
nately  without  any  blizzard  storms." 

"  That  is  always  the  case,"  said  one  of  my  Indian  listeners. 
"  We  have  found  that  the  coldest  weather  occurs  when  not  a 
breath  of  air  is  stirring  and  often  when  the  sun  is  brightly 
shining.  It  may  seem  more  painful  to  face  the  blizzard  or 
any  other  wintry  storm,  but  the  cold  of  a  dead  calm  is  more 
to  be  feared  than  even  a  fierce  head-wind." 

"Well  said,"  I  replied;  "and  so  it  is  in  a  Christian's  life. 
Many  a  one  has  perished  in  a  dead  calm  who  would  have 
lived  and  thrived  in  the  stormy  head-wind  of  persecution." 

"  Tell  us  the  rest  of  your  story,  missionary,"  said  the  young 
est  Indian  of  our  party;  "  the  ice  has  formed  on  the  top  of  my 
cup  of  tea  while  I  have  been  holding  it  here  in  the  cold  and 
listening  to  you." 

At  this  not  uncommon  occurrence  there  was  a  laugh  at  his 
expense,  and  so  after  he  and  the  rest  of  us  had  filled  up  our  tin 
cups  from  the  copper  kettle  which  was  kept  boiling  on  the 
fire  I  proceeded  with  my  story : 

"It  was  the  third  morning,  I  think,  of  the  return  trip  when 
I  passed  through  my  strange  experience.  We  had  risen  up 
very  early  in  our  wintry  camp,  for  the  cold  was  so  great  that 
we  could  not  sleep.  We  fortunately  were  where  there  was 
lots  of  good  wood,  and  so  we  made  a  glorious  fire  and 
cooked  our  breakfast.  But  we  noticed  that  even  when 
standing  with  our  backs  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  fire 
the  moisture  on  our  whiskers  and  fur  hoods  froze  into  solid 
ice.  All  of  our  dogs  shivered,  and  some  cried  out  like  chil 
dren  in  pain.  We  let  them  huddle  on  our  blankets  and 
robes  before  the  fire,  and  we  put  on  their  dog-shoes  to  save 
their  feet  from  freezing. 

"When  the  sun  arose  it  shone  down  upon  us  from  a  cloud 
less  sky,  but  there  was  not  a  particle  of  warmth  in  its  rays. 
When  we  got  on  the  way  we  traveled  just  as  fast  as  we  pos 
sibly  could,  as  the  vigorous  exercise  seemed  the  only  thing 
that  would  keep  us  alive.  On  we  went  until  about  ten 


;  54  STORIES  FR  0 M  INDIAN  WIG  WA MS 

o'clock,  when  in  the  crooked  forest  trail  the  head  of  my  dog- 
sled  struck  so  vigorously  against  a  tree  that  my  harness 
was  badly  broken  on  account  of  the  suddenness  with  which 
my  dogs  were  brought  to  a  stop.  The  Indians  at  once  offered 
to  remain  and  help  me,  but  I  foolishly  thought  it  was  best  for 
them  to  go  on  with  the  other  two  trains  for  an  hour  or  two 
longer  until  they  found  a  suitable  place  for  dinner,  and  there 
build  a  fire  and  get  it  ready.  So  on  they  pushed,  leaving  me 
and  my  train  behind.  I  got  out  my  awl  and  deer-skin  twine 
and  began  at  once  to  repair  the  damage  done  to  my  harness. 
Of  course  I  had  to  take  my  hands  out  of  my  big  fur  mitts 
when  trying  to  sew  the  leather,  and  they  were  soon  numbed  by 
the  cold.  I  did  all  I  could  to  warm  them  up  so  that  I  could 
get  on  with  my  work,  but  I  bad  a  hard  time  of  it.  Soon  my 
whole  body  was  shivering,  and  I  got  so  cold  that  I  could  have 
cried  out  in  my  agony.  I  had  run  every  step  of  the  way 
since  we  left  the  last  night's  camp,  and  so  in  spite  of  the  cold 
I  had  sweat  a  good  deal  and  my  under-flannels  were  quite 
damp;  but  now  I  felt  the  cold  had  reached  them  and  they 
were  freezing  like  armor  around  me.  It  was  a  fortunate 
thing  I  had  my  harness  so  mended  by  this  time  that  I  could 
proceed  on  my  journey.  I  should  have  started  at  once,  but 
a  strange  sensation  came  over  me.  It  began  by  a  singing  in 
my  ears  which  seemed  to  change  to  the  most  exquisite  music 
that  ever  fell  on  mortal  ears.  I  was  entranced  by  it  and 
seemed  rooted  to  the  spot.  Then  there  flitted  before  my 
eyes  the  most  delightful  forms  and  colors.  -  On  the  bare 
branches  of  the  trees  around  me  were  gathered  all  the  hues  of 
the  rainbow.  It  seemed  as  though  great  numbers  of  prisms 
were  before  me  and  every  thing  visible  danced  and  flitted 
in  ever-changing  yet  gorgeous  beauty.  Then  my  eyes  hap 
pened  to  fall  upon  the  trail  before  me,  which  was  well  marked 
by  the  snow-shoe  tracks  of  my  Indians,  who  had  but  lately 
gone  on  ahead.  But  wrhat  a  transformation !  These  long 
snow-shoe  tracks  now  seemed  like  the  most  luxurious  couches 
and  divans;  and,  as  though  they  had  a  voice,  they  seemed 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  155 

to  say,  'You  are  tired  and  weary;  come  and  rest  a  while  upon 
us  ere  you  continue  your  journey.' 

"  Every  pang  of  suffering  or  twinge  of  pain  had  now  left 
me,  and  a  strange  sweet  languor  seemed  to  take  possession 
of  me.  While  music  the  most  ravishing,  sights  the  most  gor 
geous  were  mine  to  enjoy  to  an  extent  unknown  under  ordi 
nary  circumstances,  I  seemed  to  rapturously  live  in  an  Elysium 
of  bliss. 

"  How  many  seconds  I  was  in  this  state  I  know  not,  but  I 
am  certain  they  were  but  few,  for  I  suppose  my  experience 
was  like  that  of  a  person  when  drowning,  where  events  pass 
through  the  mind  with  marvelous  rapidity.  I  can  remember 
that  I  had  taken  up  the  line  of  my  dog-sled  at  the  beginning 
and  there  was  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  to  shout,  'Marche! ' 
and  my  eager  dogs  would  have  dashed  off,  when  the  almost 
seraphic  music  and  the  vision  of  beauty  arrested  my  move 
ments.  Before  me  still  lay  in  tantalizing  luxury  the  imagi 
nary  couches  inviting  me  to  repose  upon  them  that  I  might 
not  only  rest  but  the  more  thoroughly  enjoy  the  wondrous 
melodies  and  the  beautiful  and  gorgeous  sights.  All  at  once 
I  felt  my  will-power  leaving  me  and  I  was  looking  at  these 
different  couches  to  see  upon  which  one  I  would  rest  for  a 
little  while,  when  suddenly  a  little  inward  voice  of  warning 
was  heard  saying  to  me,  '  You  are  freezing  to  death  !  Don't 
you  know  that  what  you  are  now  experiencing  is  what  you 
heard  those  arctic  explorers  who  went  up  in  search  of  Sir 
John  Franklin  describe  as  the  sensations  that  precede  freez 
ing  to  death  ?  Arouse  yourself  or  you  are  doomed  ! '  With 
an  effort  which  seemed  to  tax  to  the  utmost  all  the  powers  I 
had  of  mind  and  body  I  managed  to  fasten  the  end  of  the 
sled-rope  which  I  held  in  my  hand  to  my  sash-belt,  which  was 
tied  tightly  around  my  moose-skin  coat,  and  then  as  well  as 
possible  I  cried, 'Marche!'  to  my  dogs.  Fortunate  indeed 
it  was  for  me  that  they  were  eager  to  be  off  and  overtake  the 
other  trains,  which  were  now  miles  ahead.  With  a  bound 
they  sprang  to  their  work,  and  we  were  off.  But  I  fared 
13 


156  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

rather  roughly.  I  could  not  walk  a  step,  but  the  rope  was 
strong,  and  so  I  was  rapidly  jerked  along;  sometimes  I  was 
down  on  my  side  or  back  at  right  angles  to  the  sled,  and 
then,  as  well  as  I  could  make  out  in  my  dazed  condition,  I 
was  being  dragged  at  times  feet  foremost,  and  then  it  seemed 
as  though  with  my  head  foremost.  I  was  plowing  through 
the  snow  in  that  undignified  manner  at  a  great  rate.  It  was 
a  good  thing  for  me  that  the  snow  was  deep,  or  I  would  have 
had  some  bones  broken  or  my  brains  dashed  out.  As  it  was, 
this  vigorous  although  involuntary  and  at  first  almost  uncon 
scious  exercise  saved  my  life.  How  far  the  dogs  dragged  me 
over  that  rough,  uneven  road  or  against  how  many  trees  I 
struck  as  they  jerked  me  along  I  know  not,  but  this  I  do  re 
member,  that  this  violent  exercise  sent  the  blood  tingling 
through  my  body  and  brought  me  back  to  a  state  of  con 
sciousness  that  at  first  was  painful  in  the  extreme. 

"When  I  was  able  to  scramble  to  my  feet  and  then  throw 
myself,  although  in  a  dazed,  semi-conscious  condition,  on  my 
dog-sled  I  experienced  the  most  painful  sensations.  The 
prickling  sensations  felt  when  a  foot  is  said  to  have  gone 
asleep  were  felt  all  over  the  body,  but  magnified  a  hundred 
fold.  It  was  more  like  being  pierced  by  awls  than  tickled 
with  needles.  This  must  have  lasted  for  several  minutes.  A 
cold  sweat  then  seemed  to  burst  out  upon  me,  followed  by 
shivering,  and  then  I  felt  I  was  again  getting  chilled  to  the 
bones.  As  full  consciousness  had  returned  I  had  sense  enough 
to  be  warned  in  time  against  all®wing  the  dangerous  experi 
ment  of  the  last  hour  to  be  repeated;  and  although  I  was  so 
weak  that  I  had  some  difficulty  in  getting  on  my  feet  I  by  sooth 
ing  words  checked  the  speed  of  my  dogs,  who  had  the  ad 
vantage  of  the  trail  made  by  the  other  two  trains  which  had 
preceded  us,  and  clinging  to  the  rope  I  reeled  and  staggered 
along  behind  until  in  a  short  time  we  reached  the  camp-fire, 
where  my  Indians  had  a  good  fire  burning  and  dinner  read}*. 
A  few  cups  of  good  black  tea  put  fresh  life  and  warmth  into 
me,  but  for  weeks  I  felt  the  effects  of  this  strange  adventure." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  157 

With  the  greatest  interest  the  traders  and  Indians  listened 
to  my  story,  and  then  several  of  them  related  some  of  their 
experiences.  A  few  of  them  had  been  so  cold  that  they 
had  heard  musical  sounds  ringing  in  their  ears,  others  had 
noticed  the  beautiful  colors  dance  before  them,  and  nearly  all 
of  them  had  experienced  that  strange  and  almost  luxurious 
languor  come  over  them  accompanied  by  a  great  desire  to  lie 
down  in  the  snow  and  have  a  rest.  One  told  of  a  party  with 
whom  he  once  traveled  where  one  of  their  number  was  so 
resolved  to  stop  and  sleep  a  while  in  the  snow  that  when  en 
treaties  failed  they  had  to  use  their  dog- whips  upon  him. 
When  under  this  vigorous  treatment  he  got  a  little  better, 
but  he  was  so  angry  at  them  that  he  wanted  to  fight.  As 
something  like  this  was  just  what  they  wanted  him  to  do  a 
stalwart  member  of  their  party  accepted  his  challenge  and 
"  at  it "  they  went  as  hard  as  they  could.  They  cuffed  and 
pounded  each  other  as  they  flew  around  in  the  snow  until  the 
poor  fellow  got  warm  with  the  exercise,  and  then  at  once 
realized  his  position  and  laughed  as  heartily  as  any  one  at  the 
plans  wisely  used  to  save  him  from  freezing  to  death,  which 
undoubtedly  would  have  occurred  if  he  had  been  allowed  his 
own  wav. 


158  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

CAMP-FIRE    STORIES BAPTISTE's    STORY    OP     THE    BATTLE    BE 
TWEEN    TWO    BUFFALO     BULLS     AND    A    GRIZZLY      BEAR 

SAMMO'R  STORY  OF  BEING  CHASED  BY  A   GRIZZLY    BEAR 

THAT    ROBBED    HIM    OF    HIS     ANTELOPE   MEAT SANDY 

BAR THE  STORY  OF  THE  PLUM-PUDDING  AND  THE  HAPPY 

INDIANS. 

SO  large  are  some  of  the  great  lakes  in  the  wild  North  land, 
and  so  terrible  and  treacherous  are  the  storms  that  fre 
quently  occur,  that  many  and  tedious  were  the  delays  we  at 
times  experienced.  Very  clever  were  our  Indian  boatmen, 
but  a  birch-bark  canoe  is  only  a  frail  craft,  and  so  there  were 
times  when  for  days  together  we  had  to  wait  as  patiently  as 
we  could  for  the  head-winds  to  lull  or  the  storm  to  cease. 
And  even  in  winter  sometimes  the  blizzard  would  blow  with 
such  blinding  power  that  we  were  often  driven  into  a  winter 
camp  in  some  dense  balsam  grove  and  there  kept  shivering 
around  the  camp-fire  until  the  blizzard's  fury  was  spent  and 
the  sun  or  stars  shone  out  again  and  it  was  safe  for  us  to 
venture  out  and  on  our  way.  As  the  delays  were  sometimes 
from  three  to  ten  days  they  became  very  wearisome,  and  we 
had  to  resort  to  various  expedients  to  pleasantly  and  profit 
ably  put  in  the  time.  Sometimes  it  rained  so  incessantly  in 
summer,  and  the  snow  fell  or  was  blown  in  upon  us  so  con 
stantly  in  winter,  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  read. 
However,  the  ancient  custom  of  story-telling  was  always 
popular,  and  some  of  these  Indians  of  mine  were  capital  fel 
lows  at  it.  The  following  was  one  told  to  us  by  a  stalwart 
Indian,  who,  having  been  among  the  French  half-breeds  a 
good  deal,  had  received  from  them  the  French  name  of  Bap- 
tiste.  He  had  been  a  great  wanderer  in  his  day,  and  had  had 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  159 

many  strange  adventures  with  white  men  and  natives.  He 
had  hunted  much  in  the  broken  prairie  country  as  well  as  in 
the  Rocky  Mountains  and  also  in  the  forest  regions  of  the  far 
North.  This  story  was  told  us  as  we  were  huddled  round  a 
camp-fire  in  the  dense  forest  on  the  eastern  side  of  Lake  Win 
nipeg,  from  which  we  and  our  dogs  had  been  driven  by  a 
bitter,  blinding  blizzard  storm.  He  said : 

"  One  summer,  long  ago,  I  was  with  a  large  party  of 
Indians.  We  were  making  a  long  journey  over  the  rolling 
prairies  from  one  place  to  another.  That  we  might  have 
plenty  of  meat  to  eat,  two  of  us  were  appointed  to  keep  about 
two  days'  journey  ahead  of  the  company,  to  hunt  and  to  kill 
all  the  game  we  could.  The  reason  why  we  kept  so  far  apart 
.was  because  we  had  dogs  and  babies  and  women  in  our  party, 
and  you  know  they  will  all  make  much  noise,  so  they  would 
scare  the  animals  far  away. 

"  Well,  we  two  hunters  kept  well  ahead.  Some  days  we 
had  good  luck  and  killed  a  great  deal,  and  then  other  days 
we  did  not  kill  much.  What  we  got. we  cached  so  that  the 
party  could  easily  find  it  by  the  sign  we  gave  them  when 
they  came  along.  We  always  put  it  near  the  trail  for  them. 
Then  we  would  push  on,  looking  for  more. 

"In  the  rolling  prairies  the  hills  are  like  the  great  waves 
of  the  sea,  only  some  of  the  hills  are  about  a  mile  apart,  with 
the  valleys  between.  When  we  were  coming  to  the  top  of 
one  of  these  swells  or  hills  we  would  creep  up  very  carefully 
in  the  long  grass  and  look  over  down  into  the  valley  on  the 
other  side.  Sometimes  we  would  see  game  to  shoot  and  often 
there  was  nothing  at  all.  When  there  wras  no  sign  of  any 
thing  worth  stopping  to  shoot,  as  we  were  after  big  game, 
having  many  mouths  to  feed,  we  would  hurry  across  to  the 
next  hill-top  and  carefully  look  over  into  the  next  valley. 

"  One  day  as  we  had  passed  several  valleys  and  had  seen 
nothing  that  was  worth  our  stopping  to  shoot  we  came  to  the 
top  of  a  pretty  large  hill  and  cautiously  looked  over.  There 
we  saw  a  sight  that  we  shall  never  forget.  Right  clown  be- 


160  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAJIS 

fore  us,  within  gun-shot,  was  a  very  large  grizzly  bear  and 
two  bio-  buffalo  bulls.  Well  for  us,  the  wind  was  blowing 

O  '  O 

from  them  to  us.  They  were  very  angry-looking  and  were 
preparing  for  a  big  fight.  The  buffaloes  seemed  to  know 
that  the  bear  was  an  ugly  customer,  and  he  looked  as  though 
he  did  not  know  how  to  manage  the  two  of  them  at  once. 
For  quite  a  while  they  kept  up  what  you  might  call  a  pre 
tense  of  battle.  The  bulls  would  paw  the  ground  and  kept 
up  a  constant  roaring.  This  only  made  the  bear  the  more 
an «rv,  and  if  there  had  only  been  one  he  would  soon  have 

O     »   "  * 

got  his  big  paws  upon  him,  but  there  being  two  made  him 
cautious. 

"  After  a  while  both  of  the  bulls  suddenly  lowered  their 
heads,  and  together  they  charged  the  bear.  As  they  rushed 
at  him  he  quickly  rose  upon  his  haunches,  and  as  they  closed 
in  upon  him  he  seized  one  of  them  by  the  head  and  neck,  and 
with  a  sudden  jerk  so  quickly  broke  his  neck  that  he  fell 
down  as  dead  as  a  stone.  The  other  buffalo,  which  had 
charged  at  the  same  time,  gave  the  bear  a  fearful  thrust  with 
his  sharp  horns,  one  of  which  pierced  him  between  his  ribs, 
causin^  an  uo-lv  wound  from  which  the  blood  soon  began  to 

rt    * 

flow.  The  bear,  having  killed  the  other  buffalo,  tried  to  seize 
hold  of  this  one  also  ;  but  he,  having  given  the  bear  the  ugly 
wound,  quickly  sprang  back  out  of  his  reach.  He  ran  off  for 
a  little  distance,  but  as  the  bear  did  not  follow  him  he  came 
back  again.  There  they  stood  looking  at  each  other,  both 
very  angry  but  both  very  cautious.  As  they  kept  moving 
round  it  seemed  to  us  as  though  the  buffalo  had  so  come  round 
on  the  windward  side  of  the  bear  that  he  caught  the  scent  of 
the  blood  from  the  wound.  The  smell  of  blood  always  excites 
these  animals  to  fury,  and  so,  lowering  his  head,  he  furiously 
charged  at  his  wounded  yet  still  savage  enemy.  The  bear 
rose  up  on  his  hind  quarters  to  receive  him,  and,  seizing  him 
ns  he  did  the  other,  killed  him  on  the  spot. 

"  Imagine,  if  you  can,"  said  Baptiste,  while  his  eyes  flashed 
at  the  recollection  of  this  i  oval  battle,  "  how  excited  we  were 


mm 

iwffv   .V<\\  ft 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  161 

as  we  lay  there  in  the  long  grass  and  watched  this  great  fight. 
Then  we  thought,  <No\v,  if  we  can  only  kill  that  wounded 
bear  we  will  have  plenty  of  meat  for  the  whole  camp  for  a 
good  while.'  But,  although  we  had  our  guns,  we  were  none 
too  anxious  to  begin  the  battle  with  such  a  bear  as  that  one; 
so  we  crouched  low  and  watched  him.  It  was  very  fortu 
nate  that  the  wind,  which  was  quite  a  breeze,  blew  as  it  did. 
He  never  seemed  to  suspect  that  other  foes  were  near.  We 
saw  him  go  from  one  buffalo  to  another  and  smell  them  both, 
but  he  did  not  offer  to  tear  or  eat  either.  We  could  see  that 
he  was  very  badly  wounded  from  the  way  he  kept  twitching 
his  side,  from  which  the  blood  was  running.  It  was  an  ugly 
wound,  and  he  was  a  very  sick  bear,  and  so,  as  he  looked  so  cross, 
we  were  not  in  a  hurry  to  let  him  know  any  thing  about  us. 
After  a  while  he  went  off  a  little  distance  and  lay  down  in 
the  long  grass,  which  rose  up  so  high  around  him  that  we  could 
not  see  him.  We  waited  long  for  him  to  get  up,  but  as  he 
did  not,  and  we  could  not  stay  there  all  day,  we  prepared  for 
a  big  fight  with  him.  We  put  our  knives  where  we  could 
instantly  draw  them,  and  carefully  examined  our  guns  to  see 
that  they  were  all  right.  Then  we  began  to  crawl  down  care 
fully  through  the  grass  toward  him.  My,  how  our  hearts  did 
beat !  and  how  every  second  we  expected  that  he  would  hear 
us  and  the  fight  would  begin  for  life  or  death  !  We  got  very 
close  to  him,  although  not  near  enough  to  see  him.  Then, 
as  we  heard  no  sound,  we  made  a  little  noise  to  attract  his  at 
tention.  We  wanted  him  to  get  up  so  we  could  have  a  better 
chance  to  shoot  him.  But  he  did  not  stir.  So  with  our 
fingers  on  the  triggers  of  our  guns  we  called  out,  *  Mr.  Bear, 
here  are  enemies,  ready  for  another  battle ! '  Still  there  was 
no  stir,  and  so  we  got  up  and  went  to  him  and  found  him  as 
dead  as  were  the  buffaloes.  So,  without  firing  a  shot,  we  had 
a  great  quantity  of  meat." 

The  recital  of  this  story  had  brought  the  whole  so  vividly 
before  Baptiste  that  he  had  become  very  much  excited,  and 
he  finished  with,  "What  would  you  not  have  given  to  have 


162  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

seen  that  battle  ?  And  what  would  I  not  give  to  see  another 
like  it?" 

We  shivered  around  the  miserable  fire  and  listened  to  the 
blizzard's  fierce  howlings  which  then  and  at  other  times  re 
minded  me  of  Niagara's  roar  when  under  the  sheet  of  water 

O 

on  the  Canada  side.  Vainly  we  hoped  that  it  would  at  least  so 
abate  that  we  could  venture  on.  As  there  seemed  no  present 
prospect  of  this  it  was  decided  we  must  have  another  story. 

"  Now,  Sammo,  it  is  your  turn  to  tell  us  something  about 
grizzlies,"  I  said,  as  we  turned  to  an  Indian  who  had  come 
down  from  the  North  Saskatchewan  River  country  the  previous 
summer,  and  was  now  of  our  party.  Who  he  was,  and  what 
was  his  history,  none  of  us  knew.  He  was  very  reserved  and 
non-communicative  when  any  one  tried  to  find  out  his  past 
record.  There  was  even  an  uncertainty  as  to  the  tribe  to 
which  he  belonged,  although  he  had  let  slip  the  fact  that  he 
had  been  much  with  the  Blackfeet,  and  had  hunted  grizzlies 
with  them  in  the  mountains.  He  talked  Cree  fluently  and  it 
was  in  that  language  we  heard  him  on  this  occasion.  He,  like 
the  rest  of  us,  had  been  very  much  interested  in  Baptiste's 
story,  told  with  so  much  dramatic  power. 

"  After  that,"  said  he,  "  I  have  nothing  worth  telling." 

But  we  all  urged  him  to  go  on  and  give  us  the  best  he  could 
remember.  Like  all  Western  Indians  in  whose  hunting- 
grounds  the  grizzlies  are  found,  he  considered  a  fair  battle 
with  a  grizzly  equal  to  a  stand-up  fight  with  an  armed  war 
rior  of  another  tribe.  And  a  necklace  of  grizzlies'  claws  thus 
won  is  considered  equal  in  value  to  the  scalp  of  an  enemy, 
and  gives  the  owner  a  place  of  honor  in  the  tribe. 

"A  queer  animal  is  the  grizzly,"  said  Sammo,  by  way  of 
introduction.  "Although  he  can  pull  down  the  biggest 
buffalo  or  horse  if  he  can  once  get  his  paws  upon  him,  he  is 
ever  looking  after  small  food,  like  worms  and  grubs  and  ber 
ries.  To  get  the  slugs  and  worms  he  will  turn  over  rocks  and 
old  trunks  of  trees  so  large  and  heavy  that  you  would  think 
it  would  have  required  a  double  team  of  horses  to  have  clone 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  163 

it.  He  sometimes  breaks  off  his  claws  among  the  rocks  when 
at  this  work,  and  if  he  is  getting  old  they  do  not  always 
grow  out  again.  Once  I  was  out  shooting  antelope.  They 
were  scarce  and  shy.  I  did  not  have  very  good  success,  and 
so  I  went  on  farther  and  farther  from  the  camp  until  I  got 
in  among  the  foot-hills  of  the  Rockies.  I  had  with  me  a  red 
cloth  which  I  would  fix  upon  my  ramrod  or  over  some  sage- 
bush  to  attract  the  antelope  near,  while  I  hid  myself  as  well 
as  I  could  so  as  to  shoot  them  if  they  came  within  range. 
These  animals  have  a  great  deal  of  curiosity,  and  are  espe 
cially  attracted  by  any  thing  red.  So,  if  the  scent  of  the  hunter 
is  not  caught  by  them,  the  shy  creatures  will  often  come  up 
very  near.  After  a  while  I  saw  a  couple  of  them  in  the 
distance,  and  so,  as  soon  as  I  had  found  out  how  the  wind 
blew,  to  keep  them  from  scenting  me,  I  quietly  set  up  my  red 
cloth  and  hid  myself  near  it.  I  had  to  crouch  down  in  such 
a  poor  place  that  when  they  came  in  range  and  I  fired  I  only 
succeeded  in  breaking  the  leg  of  one  of  them.  lie  limped 
off  with  his  comrade  at  a  great  rate,  and  I  after  him.  It  sur 
prised  me  how  he  got  over  the  ground,  and  so  he  led  me  a 
long  chase  before  I  got  another  shot  at  him,  which  brought  him 
down.  As  it  was  near  night  now  and  I  was  a  long  way  from 
camp,  I  very  quickly  skinned  him,  and,  cutting  out  the  best 
pieces  of  the  meat,  I  made  a  pack  and  started  back  for  the 
camp.  I  was  among  the  hills,  and  I  saw  it  would  be  best  to 
keep  my  eyes  open,  and  ears  too,  for  this  seemed  tome  to  be  a 
fine  place  for  the  wild  animals,  like  grizzlies  or  cinnamon 
bears.  I  gripped  hard  my  gun  and  hurried  on,  and  soon  I  was 
about  half-way  through  the  hills,  when  I  heard  a  snort  and  a 
growl  that  made  me  feel  almost  as  cold  that  hot  day  as  it  is 
here  in  this  cold,  miserable  camp.  With  a  jump  I  was  off,  for 
I  well  knew  it  was  a  grizzly,  although  I  did  not  at  first  see 
him.  Although  I  had  a  ball  in  my  gun  I  had  not  much  fight 
in  my  heart  just  then,  and,"  he  added,  with  a  little  dry  humor, 
"  you  know  those  at  the  camp  wanted  the  meat  I  had  on  my 
back  for  supper. 


164 


STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


"Well,  I  ran  as  fast  as  I  could,  but  I  was  in  a  bad  fix. 
Grizzlies  can  run  faster  than  men,  and  there  was  no  tree  near 
that  I  could  climb.  If  there  had  been  I  would  have  been  all 
right,  for  these  bears  do  not  climb  trees  like  the  black  bears 
do.  Soon  I  could  hear  him  behind  me.  I  was  afraid  to  turn 
and  fire  for  fear  I  would  only  wound  him,  and  that  would 
make  him  worse.  I  hated  to  give  up  my  meat,  as  that 
meant  going  without  my  supper.  But  I  felt  he  was  gaining 
on  me,  and  something  must  be  done.  So  with  one  hand  I  un- 


"  WITH    A    JUMP    I    WAS    OFF." 

loosened  the  pack  and  dropped  a  piece  of  the  meat.  I  was  very 
much  more  frightened  when  I  found  he  had  passed  it  and  was 
still  coming  on.  So  I  dropped  another  piece,  and  that  did  not 
suit  him.  I  had  to  think  very  fast  then,  and  it  came  to  me 
that  perhaps  the  red  cloth  would  stop  him.  So  I  wrapped  a 
piece  of  meat  in  it  while  I  was  running  and  dropped  it  with 
the  antelope-skin.  There  was,  fortunately  for  me,  still  light 
enough  for  him  to  see  the  bright  color,  and  it  seemed  to  as 
tonish  him.  Anyway,  it  caused  him  to  stop,  and  I  reached 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  165 

the  camp  with  one  small  piece,  which  I  had  fastened  to  my 
belt  when  the  rest  had  to  go.  It  made  but  a  small  supper  for 
us.  We  got  ready  to  fight  the  old  fellow  if  he  should  come 
on.  But  whether  it  was  the  fire,  or  that  he  thought  it  best 
to  be  satisfied  with  what  there  was  along  the  trail,  we  never 
knew ;  he  did  not  show  himself  within  range,  and  we  never 
saw  him  afterward." 

"  Have  something  more  now,"  we  said  to  Sammo,  "  to  make 
up  for  what  you  lost  then."  And  he  was  nothing  loath  to  re 
spond.  But  Tom,  the  guide,  who  went  out  to  the  lake  to  see 
how  things  looked,  has  returned  with  the  welcome  news  that 
although  the  wind  is  as  fierce  as  ever  it  has  driven  all  the 
loose  snow  from  the  lake.  The  stars  are  to  be  seen,  and  we  can 
go  on  without  much  danger.  This  is  good  news.  We  quickly 
make  up  a  fresh  kettle  of  hot  tea,  eat  some  more  supper, 
harness  up  our  dogs,  pack  up  our  sleds,  and  are  off.  All  night 
long  through  the  fierce  wind  and  the  bitter  cold  we  travel. 
We  suffer  severely,  but  ere  the  sun  rises  we  are  seventy  miles 
from  that  wintry  camp. 

After  another  day's  journey  we  reached  the  Indian  village 
at  Sandy  Bar.  Here  I  was  to  remain  for  several  days, 
preaching  and  teaching  the  people,  scores  of  whom  had  ac 
cepted  the  truth  and  were  very  anxious  for  farther  instruc 
tion.  We  met  with  a  cordial  welcome  from  the  Indians, 
and  to  me  was  assigned  a  corner  in  one  of  the  best  houses  in 
the  place.  It  was  a  log  house,  about  twenty  feet  square,  and 
consisted  of  one  room.  My  dog-drivers  had  another  corner, 
and  there  was  an  Indian  family  in  each  of  the  others.  My 
men  only  remained  for  a  day  and  then  went  on  to  lower  Fort 
Garry  for  supplies,  while  I  remained  attending  to  my  mission 
ary  duties  until  their  return.  The  little  house  had  a  stove  in 
the  middle  and  was  furnished  with  benches  and  boxes.  Our 
beds  were  rolled  up  during  the  day  and  spread  out  at  night, 
as  in  the  winter  camp.  All  the  disrobement  I  indulged  in 
was  to  change  my  moccasins  and  unfasten  my  shirt-collar  so 
I  could  breathe  a  little  more  easily  when  sleeping. 


166  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

These  Christian  Indians  informed  us  that  they  had  not  as 
yet  been  very  fortunate  in  killing  deer,  but  that  they  had 
abundance  of  white-fish.  With  these  they  gladly  supplied 
us.  Several  were  soon  cooked^  and  with  some  strong  tea  were 
very  much  relished  by  us.  Hunger  is  a  good  sauce.  As  we 
sat  there  in  that  little  home  and  partook  of  that  homely  meal 
wre  were  thankful  for  white-fish  and  black  tea.  So  cordial 
was  the  welcome,  and  as  these  Indians  were  some  of  my  own 
people,  we  passed  a  pleasant,  joyous  evening  in  bright  and 
happy  converse  and  closed  with  religious  worship.  When  I 
got  up  in  the  morning  I  found  a  little  tin  basin  of  water  and 
a  cotton  cloth,  as  a  substitute  for  a  towel,  on  a  little  box  near 
me.  I  hastily  washed  myself  and  got  ready  for  breakfast, 
which.one  of  the  good  women  had  already  prepared.  She 
drew  out  from  near  the  wall  a  little  box,  and  using  the  cot 
ton  cloth  which  had  served  me  as  a  towel  for  a  table-cloth  she 
placed  upon  it  my  fish  and  tea.  I  remained  in  this  house 
about  ten  days,  and  that  cloth  served  as  my  towel  and  table 
cloth  every  day.  As  it  was  not  once  washed  it  looked  sadly 
demoralized  toward  the  end. 

I  was  very  busy  and  happy  in  my  work,  teaching  the  chil 
dren  and  holding  daily  services.  Of  course,  I  would  not  have 
objected  to  a  change  in  my  "bill  of  fare,"  for  it  was  fish  and 
tea  every  time  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  when  we  had  snared 
rabbits.  When  ten  days  had  passed  I  accepted  the  urgent 
invitation  of  another  house-holder  and  became  his  guest  or 
boarder.  There  we  had  the  same  diet  without  any  variation. 

On  the  evening  of  December  24,  as  I  was  wandering  around, 
I  went  into  the  house  of  the  Indian  with  whom  I  had  first 
stopped.  All  the  light  they  had  was  that  which  came  from  a 
poor  fish-oil  lamp.  When  I  could  discover  what  was  going 
on  I  was  surprised  to  see  the  owner  of  the  house  seated  cross- 
legged  on  the  floor  on  one  end  of  an  empty  flour-bag,  the 
other  end  of  which  was  opened  out  before  him.  As  he  was 
kneading  away  at  a  great  rate  my  curiosity  was  excited,  and 
I  said,  "  What  are  you  doing,  William  ?  " 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  ltJ7 

He  replied,  while  he  continued  industriously  working  away, 
"I  am  making  a  plum-pudding." 

"  A  plum-pudding  !  "  I  replied.  "  Where  in  the  world  did 
you  get  the  material  for  a  plum-pudding  ?  " 

"  Why,"  said  he,  "  I  visited  my  traps  and  I  found  in  them 
some  fine  minks,  and  I  skinned  them  and  sold  the  furs  to 


I  AM  MAKING  A  PLUM- PUDDING. 


some  traders  I  saw  going  up  the  lake  for  some  flour  and  some 
plums." 

These  people  call  a  coarse  kind  of  raisins  plums.  These 
the  traders  sell  to  them  about  Christmas-time  at  a  very  high 
price. 

"  Have  you  any  grease  or  fat  in  your  pudding  ?  "  I  asked. 


168  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"No,"  he  replied;  "I  have  not  killed  a  bear  for  a  long 
time,  so  I  have  only  water  and  flour  and  plums  in  it." 

"  William,"  I  said,  "  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  I  can  improve 
that  pudding  for  you,  for  I  have  got  some  sugar  yet;  so  wait 
a  minute." 

Away  I  hurried  to  the  other  house,  and  soon  returned 
with  a  large  tin  cup  full  of  sugar.  Great  was  the  joy  of  the 
happy  wife  and  the  dancing  children  as  I  slowly  shook  the 
sugar  in  while  William  kept  kneading  away.  After  a  good 
deal  of  solid  work  upon  it  William  thought  it  would  do,  and 
then  he  asked  his  wife  to  try  to  get  him  a  pudding-cloth. 
She  flew  around  and  looked  through  her  limited  wardrobe, 
but  without  success.  Happening  to  look  up,  her  eyes  flashed 
with  delight  as  she  espied,  hanging  on  a  pole  overhead,  the 
identical  cotton  cloth  which  had  served  me  as  a  towel  and 
table-cloth  for  ten  days  and  had  not  yet  been  washed.  It 
was  quickly  jerked  down  and  in  it  the  pudding  was  wrapped. 

"  Where  is  there  a  pudding-cloth  string  ?  "  he  next  asked. 
Again  the  good  wife  busied  herself  to  find  what  was  wanted, 
but  with  poor  success. 

"O,  never  mind,"  he  said,  "this  will  do;"  and,  stooping 
over  to  one  of  his  moccasined  feet;  he  cut  off  part  of  one  of 
the  strings,  which  had  been  wound  round  his  ankle.  With 
this  he  tied  up  the  pudding  in  genuine  style  and  put  it  in 
the  fish-kettle,  which  was  ready  for  it. 

The  next  morning  was  Christmas.  While  I  was  at  my 
breakfast  in  the  other  house  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door. 
This  was  very  unusual,  as  the  Indians  dislike  to  knock  or 
ring  a  bell.  They  prefer  to  quietly  come  in  without  any 
fuss.  But  here  was  a  clear,  distinct  knock.  What  could  it 
mean  ?  So  I  said,  "  Astum  !  "  (English,  "  Come  in!  ")  and  in 
walked  a  bright,  beautiful  Indian  girl  about  twelve  years  old. 
She  was  nicely  dressed,  her  face  was  clean,  and  her  jet-black 
hair  was  well  oiled  and  braided.  She  had  in  her  hand  a  tin 
plate  and  on  it  about  a  third  of  that  identical  pudding.  A? 
she  came  into  the  room  and  the  contents  of  the  plate  were 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  169 

seen  by  the  family  there  was  great  excitement.  But  she 
heeded  them  not.  Her  message  was  to  me,  and  so  she  came 
at  once  to  the  spot  where  I  was  sitting.  Handing  me  the 
plate  on  which  was  the  pudding,  she  thus  addressed  me  : 

"  Missionary,  my  father  and  mother  send  this  to  you  with 
their  compliments  and  best  wishes,  and  told  me  also  to  say 
that  they  wish  you  a  very  merry  Christmas." 

So  up  I  got  and  accepted  the  gift  with  many  expressions  of 
gratitude  for  their  thoughtful  remembrance.  Then  going  to 
my  box  I  took  out  a  quantity  of  tea  and  sugar  and  gave  them 
to  the  maiden  and  told  her  to  take  them  to  her  father  and 
mother  with  my  kindest  regards,  and  to  say  to  them  that  I, 
too,  wished  them  a  very  merry  Christmas.  She  took  the  little 
gift  with  gratitude  and  retired.  I  was  very  much  amused  in 
watching  the  company  as  they  eyed  that  pudding,  especially 
the  children.  "Pudding!  pudding!"  they  shouted,  and 
then,  with  all  the  candor  of  little  folks,  they  said  one  to  an 
other,  "  And  our  kind-hearted  missionary  will  share  with  us." 
«  Tapwa  "  (English, «  Verily  ").  Yes,  indeed,  verily,  of  coarse 
he  would.  Had  he  not  seen  how  that  pudding  was  made, 
and  did  he  not  know  all  about  the  cloth  in  which  it  had  been 
boiled,  and  the  string  with  which  it  was  tied  ?  Yes,  verily, 
of  course  he  would  divide  it  all  round. !  Who  could  be 
selfish  enough  to  want  it  all  under  such  circumstances,  and 
especially  as  this  was  Christmas  day  ?  So,  with  a  good  deal 
of  display,  the  company  was  counted  and  it  was  found  that 
there  were  just  eight  of  us.  Then,  taking  out  my  big  hunt 
ing-knife,  I  attacked  the  pudding  and  succeeded  in  cutting  it 
into  eight  pieces.  I  took  good  care  to  so  cut  it  that  there 
was  at  least  one  piece  that  had  no  original  outside  to  it — a 
piece  that  had  not  come  in  contact  with  that  wonderful 
pudding-cloth.  The  pieces  were  distributed  all  round,  and 
there  was  much  rejoicing  thereat  in  that  little  log  house  by 
that  Indian  family  on  that  cold  Christmas  day  on  the  western 
side  of  Lake  Winnipeg. 

14 


170  STOXIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

EXPLORING      NEW      FIELDS DANGERS      IN      THE       WAY DOG- 
TRAVELING    BY     NIGHT BREAKING    THROUGH    THE   ICE 

SAGACIOUS  DOGS SCANT  SUPPLIES    AND  HUNGRY  INDIANS 

INDIAN  HOSPITALITIES A  SUCCESSFUL  BEAR-HUNTER — 

PRIMITIVE    METHODS   OF    EATING A    DINNER    UNDER     PE 
CULIAR     CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENTIVE      HEARERS    OF     THE 

WORD — ICE-RAFTS THE    SUCCESSFUL     WILD-CAT    HUNTER 

PREACHING  THE  WORD   AS  WE    JOURNEY   ON SLEEPING 

TWENTY-THREE       STRONG       IN       A       SMALL        WIGWAM A 

TROUBLESOME    DOG HITTING      OOJIBETOOS      BY     MISTAKE 

AN  ALMOST  TRAGEDY  TURNED  INTO   A    COMEDY "ALL'S 

WELL    THAT    ENDS    WELL." 

TVTOVP^L  and  exciting  were  some  of  the  adventures  that 
-L*  happened  to  me  one  winter  when  on  one  of  my  long 
pioneering  missionary  journeys  in  the  interior  of  the  country 
which  lies  between  Lake  Winnipeg  and  Hudson  Bay.  The 
Indians  there  residing  are  of  the  Saulteaux  tribe,  a  wild,  pas 
sionate  people,  against  whom  many  bitter  things  have  been 
said  by  their  enemies,  and  yet  if  rightly  handled  a  noble  race,, 
full  of  generous  impulses  and  capable  of  warm  friendship. 
Deputation  after  deputation  of  them  had  come  to  see  me,  and 
had  urged  and  begged  me  to  come  and  visit  them  in  their 
far-off  homes  and  explain  to  them  the  truths  of  the  good 
book,  about  which  they  had  heard  from  the  adventurous 
hunter  or  canoe-man  who  had  occasionally  penetrated  into 
their  country.  So  one  winter,  when  I  could,  without  neglect 
ing  any  of  my  other  outposts,  go  and  visit  them,  I  took 
with  me  two  zealous  Christian  Indians  and  two  dog-trains 
and  started  off  to  see  them  in  their  native  wilds.  As  that 
part  of  the  country  is  exceedingly  rough  and  unbroken  our 
sleds  were  extra  strong.  They  were  made  of  oak  boards  an- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  171 

inch  thick,  sixteen  inches  wide,  and  twelve  feet  long.  Each 
sled  had  attached  to  it  four  of  my  finest  dogs  harnessed  up 
in  tandem  style. 

As  the  trip  was  to  be  one  of  great  hardship  I  selected  as 
my  Indian  companions  two  stalwart  men,  true  as  steel  and 
full  of  endurance;  and  what  was  better,  they  were  genuine 
Christians,  the  converts  of  our  own  mission,  and  anxious  that 
the  blessed  Gospel  which  was  now  such  a  joy  to  them  should  be 
heard  and  accepted  by  their  countrymen  who  were  still  living 
in  the  darkness  of  a  degrading  paganism.  Such  was  the  char 
acter  of  the  country,  being  very  rough,  with  an  entire  absence 
of  all  roads,  that  the  duty  of  one  of  the  Indians  was  to  run 
on  ahead  on  his  snow-shoes,  thus  indicating  the  best  and  safest 
way,  although  there  was  not  a  vestige  of  a  track  or  landmark 
before  him  at  times  for  scores  of  miles.  As  closely  behind  him 
as  possible  I  followed  with  my  favorite  train  of  dogs.  The 
way  was  crooked  and  often  very  dangerous.  Close  behind 
me  was  the  second  dog-train,  driven  by  the  other  Indian. 

As  we  were  not  able  to  begin  this  trip  until  the  month  of 
April  it  was  getting  very  late  in  the  season  for  dog-traveling. 
We  found,  much  to  our  regret,  that,  owing  to  the  winter  being 
so  far  advanced,  we  were  not  going  to  travel  as  fast  as  we 
had  anticipated,  and  we  also  soon  realized  that  if  the  journey 
was  to  be  made  at  all  the  greater  part  of  it  would  have  to  be 
performed  at  night.  This  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  as  it 
was  now  April  the  sun's  rays  were  sufficiently  powerful  to 
make  the  snow  so  soft  that  but  little  progress  could  be  made 
through  it.  Then,  in  addition,  the  sun's  rays  were  reflected 
with  such  brilliancy  from  the  great  snowy  wastes  over 
which  at  times  our  route  lay  that  the  painful  disease  called 
snow-blindness  was  liable  at  any  hour  to  lay  us  up  disabled 
and  helpless.  Our  only  course  then  was  to  reverse  the  usual 
order  of  things  and  travel  by  night,  starting  as  soon  as  a 
crust  was  formed  on  the  snow  strong  enough  to  bear  us  up 
on  our  snow-shoes. 

In  this  way  we  journeyed  on  all  through  the  lonely  watches 


172  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

of  the  night  and  on  through  the  morning  hours,  until  the 
frozen  crust  of  snow,  softening  by  the  warmth  of  day,  would 
no  longer  bear  us  up.  Then  we  hastily  prepared  a  camp  in 
some  balsam  or  spruce  grove  similar  to  those  elsewhere  de 
scribed.  Here  we  cooked  and  ate  our  breakfast,  fed  our 
dogs,  and  then,  after  prayers,  wrapped  ourselves  up  in  our 
robes  and  blankets  and  slept  until  the  evening  hours,  when, 
after  supper,  the  journey  would  be  resumed. 

We  began  this  adventurous  trip  by  leaving  our  little  mis 
sion  home  as  soon  after  sunset  as  possible.  It  is  surprising 
how  quickly  the  snow  that  has  been  softened  by  the  sun's 
rays 'during  the  day  hardens  into  a  firm  crust  after  the  sun 
has  gone  down.  For  many  miles  we  traveled  upon  the  still 
frozen  surface  of  Beren's  River,  except  where  its  windings 
were  so  great  that  we  could  save  time  by  making  portages 
across  the  points  through  the  forests.  At  the  rapids  and 
numerous  falls  where  the  frost,  in  spite  of  its  power,  had  been 
unable  to  bridge  over  the  rushing  river,  or  the  spring  freshets 
had  already  opened  wide  chasms,  our  progress  in  the  star-lit 
nights  was  necessarily  slow  and  not  without  some  elements 
of  excitement  and  danger.  Sometimes  we  made  portages 
around  these  falls;  at  others  of  them,  so  bold  and  precipitous 
were  the  rocky  shores,  this  was  an  impossibility,  and  so 
we  had  to  carefully  and  cautiously  feel  our  way  on  the  nar 
row  ledge  of  ice  along  the  shore  which  shelved  over  the  dark, 
boiling,  rushing  stream.  In  some  places  the  ice,  under  the 
influence  of  the  warm  sun  during  the  day,  had  begun  to  give, 
so  that  it  sloped  down  dangerously  from  the  shore.  As  a 
natural  result  it  sometimes  happened  as  we  moved  along  on 
some  of  these  dangerous  slanting  icy  ledges  the  rear  end  of 
our  sleds  would  whirl  around  and  even  project  a  little  over 
the  edge  of  the  black,  rushing  river.  But  dogs  are  sure 
footed  and  sagacious  and  know  well  how  to  act  in  such 
emergencies,  and  so  in  these  times  of  peril  they  quickly 
sprang  ahead,  and,  keeping  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  rocljs, 
they  managed  to  save  themselves  and  us. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  173 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  roads  that  there  was  but 
little  riding  for  me  except  where  we  happened  to  strike  a. 
stretch  of  smooth  ice.  The  result  was  that  most  of  the  time 
I  had  to  strap  on  my  snow-shoes  and  walk  or  run  as  best  I 
could.  Our  sleds  were  heavily  loaded,  as  I  was  trying  to 
take  up  sufficient  supplies  to  last  us  for  the  whole  trip,  so  as 
not  to  be  burdensome  on  the  people  who  are  so  wretchedly 
poor.  One  of  the  great  disadvantages  of  traveling  in  this 
country  is  the  uncertainty  of  the  food  supplies.  We  did 
sometimes  come  across  Indians  with  abundance  of  venison  or 
other  meat,  but  this  was  the  exception.  \^Te  generally  found 
them  very  badly  off  for  food,  even  in  some  of  the  best  fur- 
producing  regions  of  the  country,  and  so,  instead  of  their 
being  able  to  render  us  assistance,  we  felt  several  times  that 
we  dare  not  conscientiously  pass  them  by  unaided.  It  did 
seem  such  a  mockery  to  offer  the  "  bread  of  life  "  to  poor, 
hungry,  gaunt,  half-starved  men  and  women  and  little  chil 
dren,  some  of  whom  were  so  weak  for  the  want  of  food  that 
they  could  hardly  stand.  I  tried  it  a  few  times  and  then  gave 
it  up  for  the  better  way  of  sharing  my  limited  supplies  with 
some  of  these  poor  sheep  in  the  wilderness,  and  then,  when 
the  wolfish,  famished  look  had  left  their  eyes  and  there  was 
a  comfortable  dinner  under  their  belts,  it  was  astonishing 
how  much  better  they  listened  and  how  much  greater  was 
their  confidence  in  me  and  the  message  of  salvation  which  I 
brought  them. 

Hunger  is  a  terrible  thing,  as  I  know  by  personal  experi 
ence,  having  been  for  three  days  without  a  mouthful;  and  so, 
although  I  have  received  more  than  one  official  intimation 
that  "Your  work  is  not  to  feed  the  hungry  the  bread  of 
this  life,  but  to  present  to  him  the  Gospel,"  I  have  preferred 
to  follow  the  feelings  of  my  own  heart  and  what  I  thought 
was  the  more  Christly  way,  even  if  on  more  than  one  occa 
sion  it  left  my  faithful  Indians  and  myself  where  in  lieu  of  our 
own  suppers  we  had  to  tighten  up  our  belts  ere  we  tried  to 
go  to  sleep  on  the  granite  rock  or  in  the  forest  nook  which 


174  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

happened  to  be  our  bed.  So,  after  having  suffered  several 
times  where  we  had  hoped  to  be  able  to  obtain  food  on  the 
way  and  failed,  we  adopted  the  plan  of  carrying  with  us, 
if  possible,  sufficient  food,  and  some  to  spare,  for  the  whole 
journey.  This,  of  course,  with  our  bedding,  kettles,  axes, 
clothing,  fish  for  our  dogs,  and  other  essentials,  made  our 
loads  very  heavy,  and  as  a  natural  result  where  the  roads 
were  bad  I  had  to  walk  or  run. 

Two  or  three  times  during  the  night  journeys  we  stopped 
in  some  suitable  place,  kindled  a  fire,  and  made  ourselves  a 
good  cup  of  tea  and  had  something  to  eat.  Once  during  the 
first  night's  journey  I  had  to  stop  and  change  my  clothes,  as 
in  spite  of  all  my  caution  I  broke  through  the  ice  and  went 
down  to  my  neck  in  the  cold,  rapid  river.  This  experiment 
of  changing  my  wet  clothes  for  dry  ones — which  fortunately 
I  had  with  me — out  in  the  cold,  wintry  forest  was  not  a  very 
pleasant  experience.  However,  although  it  made  me  shiver, 
no  unpleasant  consequences  resulted  from  it. 

Thus  on  we  went,  traveling  night  after  night  and  rest 
ing  as  well  as  we  could  through  the  hours  of  sunshine.  At 
one  place  we  met  an  Indian  hunter  who  had  found  a  bears' 
den  in  which  were  three  large  bears.  He  bravely  went  in 
among  them  armed  only  with  his  ax.  It  was  a  fortunate 
thing  for  him  that  they  were  quite  stupid  and  drowsy,  for 
to  us  it  seemed  a  very  foolhardy  thing  for  a  man  armed 
only  with  an  ax  to  go  into  the  den  of  such  monsters.  As 
it  was  so  late  in  the  winter  season,  and  consequently  the 
bears  had  been  there  for  several  months,  this  Indian  only 
found  in  each  of  them  a  small  quantity  of  oil  or  grease  in 
the  sack  near  the  heart,  which  often  in  the  fall  of  the  year, 
when  the  bears  are  about  retiring  to  their  dens,  has  in  it 
several  quarts.  This  oil  is  the  fuel  or  food  on  which  the 
animal  lives  during  the  long  winter  months  wrhen  they  re 
main  in  a  state  of  torpor.  He  kindly  gave  us  some  of  the 
meat,  which  had  the  taste  of  young  pork,  with  the  addition 
of  a  strong  gamy  flavor.  For  his  kindness  we  gave  him 


AND  NOETUERN  CAMP-FIRES.  175 

what  he  desired,  namely,  some  ammunition,  tea,  and  tobacco, 
and  then  hurried  on. 

After  a  number  of  days,  or  rather  nights,  traveling  in  this 
way  we  at  length  succeeded  in  finding  the  first  village  of  the 
Indians  for  whom  we  were  seeking.  They  gave  us  a  most 
cordial  reception;  some  even,  as  at  Nelson  River,  when  I  first 
visited  that  place,  seemed  determined  to  kiss  me.  However, 
I  succeeded  in  putting  the  most  of  them  off  with  a  kind  word 
and  a  cordial  grip  of  the  hand,  and  was  then  taken  into  one 
of  the  wigwams  to  rest  while  dinner  was  being  prepared  for 
us  in  the  tent  of  the  principal  Indian  of  the  place.  With 
considerable  ceremony  I  was  escorted  to  the  place  where  I 
was  to  dine.  The  dinner  consisted  of  the  head  of  a  moose- 
deer,  which  had  been  cut  up  into  large  pieces  and  then  boiled. 
These  were  brought  before  us  in  a  large  pan  and  placed  on  the 
ground,  around  which  we  gathered  in  a  circle.  A  tin  cup 
full  of  strong  tea  was  then  given  to  each  one  of  us.  Thus 
meat  and  tea  constituted  our  dinner,  and  it  was  considered  a 
very  good  one,  as  the  head  of  the  moose-deer  is  accounted 
one  of  the  three  great  luxuries  of  the  country.  The  other 
two  are  bears'  paws  and  beavers'  tails.  After  I  had  said 
grace,  which  to  them  was  a  great  surprise,  we  each  reached  out 
and  helped  ourselves  to  a  piece  of  the  meat.  With  our  hunt 
ing-knives  in  our  right  hand  we  cut  and  carved  and  then  ate 
the  meat  as  well  as  we  could.  Such  things  as  plates  or  forks 
were  then  unknown  among  them,  and  although  I  had  my  own 
on  my  dog-sled,  yet  as  I  was  their  guest  it  would  have  been 
considered  a  very  great  insult  if  I  had  brought  them  out  and 
used  them  at  this  feast.  However,  as  I  had  a  good  appetite 
and  was  anxious  to  secure  their  good-will,  that  I  might  be  the 
more  able  to  do  them  good,  I  attacked  my  piece  of  meat  as 
promptly  as  the  rest  assailed  theirs,  and  succeeded  in  cutting 
off  some  savory  morsels  and  was  making  out  quite  a  dinner. 
Not  very  far  from  me  was  a  big  Indian  who  had  been  exceed, 
ingly  friendly,  but  during  the  meal  he  adopted  a  method  of 
showing  his  good-will  toward  me  that  I  could  easily  have 


176  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

dispensed  with.  His  hands  were  very  dirty,  and  he  had  great 
strong  teeth.  Like  the  rest  of  us,  he  had  taken  up  a  piece  of 
meat,  and  from  it  he  cut  and  ate  at  a  great  rate.  Sometimes 
he  dispensed  with  his  knife,  and,  holding  his  meat  in  both  of 
his  dirty  hands,  he  tore  off  with  his  teeth  large  pieces  and  swal 
lowed  them  with  great  satisfaction.  Suddenly  he  stopped,  and, 
looking  at  his  piece  of  meat,  he  then  scrutinized  mine,  and 
before  I  knew  what  he  was  about  he  quickly  exchanged  our 
pieces,  saying,  as  he  did  so,  that  mine  was  not  a  very  good 
piece,  while  his  was  very  fine.  This  is  considered  a  great 
act  of  friendship,  and  although  I  would  have  preferred 
refusing,  yet,  knowing  their  sensitiveness,  I  accepted  it  in 
the  spirit  in  which  it  was  done,  and  from  his  half-eaten 
piece  I  made  out  a  hearty  dinner.  Upon  another  occasion 
I  was  thus  honored  by  a  chief  tain  ess,  who  exchanged  with 
me  pieces  of  the  head  of  a  reindeer  which  had  been  similarly 
prepared. 

Being  very  thirsty,  I  drank  my  first  cup  of  tea  as  soon  as 
It  was  cool  and  then  placed  my  empty  cup  at  my  side. 
Another  Indian  observing  this,  and  wishing  to  show  his 
kindness  by  filling  it  up  for  me,  did  it  in  a  novel  way.  Of 
course  we  had  no  such  luxuries  as  tea-pots.  Our  tea  was 
made  on  the  fire  in  a  copper  kettle  into  which  the  cups 
were  dipped.  My  Indian  friend,  instead  of  taking  my  cup 
and  filling  it  up  in  the  usual  way,  adopted  another  method, 
which  doubtless  he  thought  was  much  more  polite.  Taking 
up  his  own  cup,  which  was  almost  half  full,  he  poured  the 
contents  into  mine,  and  then,  filling  it  up  from  the  kettle, 
he  added  to  mine  the  other  half;  then,  refilling  his  own,  he 
sat  down  again  in  his  place  in  the  circle  on  the  ground  very 
much  pleased  at  the  service  he  had  been  able  to  render  the 
missionary. 

After  this  primitive  dinner,  which  was  much  enjoyed, 
we  had  a  long  afternoon  service.  Very  attentive  were 
they,  and  deeply  interested  did  they  become  as  I  read  to 
them  from  the  good  book  and  talked  to  them  of  sacred 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  177 

things.  For  hours  they  sat  on  the  ground  and  listened  to 
these  most  blessed  and  important  of  all  truths,  which  were 
new  to  the  majority  of  them.  There  is  a  pure,  rapturous  joy 
in  the  heart  of  the  missionary  when  he  finds  a  willing  audi 
ence  eager  for  the  truth  among  a  people  who  have  never  be 
fore  seen  a  copy  of  the  word  of  God  or  heard  the  glad  story 
of  redeeming  love.  Physical  sufferings  and  "  perils  oft  "  are 
all  forgotten  in  the  joy  of  being  permitted  to  preach  the 
Gospel  in  the  "  regions  beyond,"  where  up  to  that  hour 
Christ's  name  had  never  been  heard. 

After  the  long  address  we  had  a  more  social  service,  as  was 
our  custom.  My  Christian  Indian  dog-drivers  spoke,  dwell 
ing  a  good  deal  on  their  own  experience  and  conversion. 
There  is  a  wondrous  power  in  the  testimony  of  the  genuine 
convert.  Then  we  had  our  usual  hymns  and  endeavored 
to  teach  these  Saulteaux  to  sing,  but  with  indifferent  suc 
cess,  as  they  do  not  seem  to  have  as  musical  voices  as  the 
Crees. 

I  questioned  the  people  about  their  wishes  and  feelings,  and 
found  out  that  they  had  long  been  dissatisfied  with  their  old 
pagan  ways  and  were  longing  for  something  better.  Sum 
ming  up  what  they  said,  it  was,  u  We  are  like  travelers  who 
have  lost  the  trail  in  the  darkness  of  the  deep  valley,  and 
long  have  we  been  wishing  for  some  light,  that  we  might  get 
our  feet  in  the  right  way.  Your  words  seem  very  good. 
Now  we  have  some  hopes  that  the  daylight  is  coming  and 
that  we  shall  get  out  of  this  dark  place  where  we  and  our 
fathers  have  so  long  groped,  and  over  the  great  hill  of  our 
ignorance  into  the  light  that  is  beyond." 

We  adjourned  this  most  fascinating  and  blessed  service  for 
a  short  time  that  we  might  have  our  suppers,  which  consisted 
of  boiled  fish  and  tea.  Then  we  again  assembled,  and  there 
around  the  fire  which  burned  brightly  on  the  ground  in  the 
center  of  an  improvised  sort  of  a  camp  wigwam  we  sung  and 
prayed  and  read  from  the  blessed  book  and  talked  and  had 
them  talk.  This  service  lasted  well  on  into  the  night.  Then 


ITS  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

as  the  snow  bad  sufficiently  hardened  we  bade  good-bye 
to  these  friendly,  hospitable  Indians,  and,  harnessing  up  our 
dogs,  we  pushed  on  by  the  light  of  the  stars  still  farther  into 
the  interior  of  this  vast  country.  The  journey  was  beset 
with  perils  and  strange  adventures.  At  some  places  where 
broad  rivers  had  to  be  crossed  and  the  ice  had  gone,  except 
where  in  great  masses  or  fields  it  skirted  the  shores,  the  plan 
we  adopted  so  as  to  safely  get  across  was  this  :  First  we  cut 
a  few  long  poles,  and  then,  getting  our  dogs  and  sleds  with 
ourselves  on  a  great  solid  piece  of  ice  many  yards  square,  we 
set  to  work  with  our  axes  and  cut  it  off  from  the  shore  as  a 
great  raft.  Then  by  the  aid  of  our  long  poles  we  managed 
to  reach  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Sometimes  we  had  a 
good  deal  of  difficulty,  as  the  current  was  generally  rapid  and 
an  ice-raft  is  an  awkward,  unwieldy  thing,  with  a  tendency 
to  crack  in  pieces  at  very  critical  moments  in  the  passage. 

At  one  place  we  came  across  the  hunting-lodge  of  an  Indian 
hunter  whom  we  had  seen  at  our  mission  home  the  previous 
autumn.  Among  other  things  I  had  shown  him  my  little  gar 
den,  where  I  had  succeeded  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of 
that  place  in  raising  several  kinds  of  vegetables.  No  effort  had 
ever  been  made  before  in  this  line.  These  Indians  for  gener 
ations  lived  solely  by  fishing  and  hunting.  I  was  somewhat 
surprised  to  notice  that  my  Indian  visitor  became  very  much 
interested  in  my  bed  of  onions,  the  peculiar  odor  of  which  he 
was  quick  to  detect  and  which  he  called  "  the  bad-smelling 
grass."  Before  he  left  to  return  to  his  hunting-grounds  he 
asked  me  for  all  the  onions  I  could  spare.  I  gave  him  quite 
a  number,  but  could  not  then  find  out  for  what  purpose  he 
wanted  them;  but  now  that  we  were  with  him  in  his  own 
hunting-lodge  the  reason  was  plain.  By  their  aid  he  had 
been  able  to  trap  an  unusually  large  number  of  wild  cats. 
He  had  never  seen  onions  before  his  visit  to  my  house,  but  as 
soon  as  he  became  acquainted  with  their  pungent  odors,  and 
knowing  how  the  lynx  or  wild  cats  are  attracted  by  such 
things,  he  shrewdly  thought  they  would  be  helpful  to  him  in 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  179 

capturing  them.  So  with  all  an  Indian's  secretiveness  he 
kept  his  thoughts  to  himself,  while  he  pleaded  with  such 
earnestness  for  the  onions  that  he  got  them.  His  method  of 
work,  which  he  described  to  us,  was  as  follows:  When  he 
found  a  forest  where  the  tracks  of  these  animals  were  numer 
ous  he  would  set  his  traps  and  make  his  "  deadfalls  "  in  some 
central  place.  Then  crashing  the  onions  with  his  ax  he 
would  smear  the  soles  of  his  moccasins  with  the  juice  and 
then  walk  along  paths  that  he  had  made,  all  radiating  from 
the  place  where  he  had  set  his  traps.  The  wild  cats  prowl 
ing  about  through  the  forests  soon  came  across  these  paths, 
and,  attracted  by  the  scent,  at  once  began  to  follow  them  up 
and  soon  found  themselves  in  the  trap.  I  congratulated  the 
hunter  on  his  success  and  admired  the  acuteness  and  clever 
ness  which  he  had  displayed. 

We  had  a  little  talk  about  the  great  salvation,  and  then 
bowed  down  in  prayer  and  asked  God's  blessing  upon  him 
and  his  family.  Thus  on  and  on  we  went,  occasionally  meet 
ing  the  lonely  hunters  and  becoming  at  times  very  much 
interested  in  them  and  their  work.  For  them  all  we  had 
some  kind  words,  as  they  were  all  friendly,  and  were  very 
much  pleased  to  have  the  monotony  of  their  quiet,  lonely 
lives  broken  by  the  appearance  of  the  missionary.  When  we 
could  arrange  it  or  happened  to  find  the  hunting-lodge  on  our 
trail  it  was  very  pleasant  to  visit  them  and  hold  religious 
worship  with  the  few  inmates.  They  listened  attentively 
while  we  tried  to  tell  them  how  they  could  live  true  and 
happy  lives  and  be  the  friends  and  children  of  the  Great 
Spirit  through  his  divine  Son.  Sometimes  we  met  quite  a 
number  of  them  together,  but  never  very  many,  as  there  are 
no  large  villages  in  this  vast  section  of  the  country.  How 
ever,  when  we  met  even  a  few  families  who  for  society's  sake 
had  clustered  together  we  generally  spent  a  day  or  two  with 
them,  teaching  and  preaching  as  opportunity  offered. 

At  one  place  a  strange  adventure  happened  which  might 
have  had  a  tragic  ending.  We  had  reached  a  place  where 


180  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

quite  a  Dumber  of  wigwams  were  clustered  together,  and  had 
been  most  cordially  received.  To  my  words  the  greatest 
attention  had  been  given  and  every  thing  was  going  on  most 
pleasantly.  After  the  evening  service,  when  the  time  had 
arrived  to  retire,  I  was  informed  that  I  and  my  two  men  were 
to  sleep  in  the  wigwam  of  a  tall  Indian  whose  name  was 
Oojibetoos.  We  immediately  went  with  him  to  his  wigwam, 
but  when  we  saw  its  limited  dimensions  and-  the  crowd  who 
were  to  share  it  with  us  we  would  much  have  preferred  to  have 
made  our  usual  wintry  camp  outside  and  there  have  passed 
the  night  as  had  been  our  custom.  But,  having  accepted  the 
invitation,  and  not  wishing  to  give  offense,  we  resolved  to 
stand  by  it.  The  wigwam  was  not  over  sixteen  feet  in 
diameter.  When  we  entered  a  bright  wood  fire  was  burning 
in  the  center  of  the  ground  floor,  the  smoke  from  which  was 
supposed  to  find  its  way  out  of  the  top,  where  the  poles, 
which  were  the  frame-work  of  the  wiffwarn,  were  tied  to- 

O 

gether.  When  arranged  in  our  places  in  the  circle  around 
the  fire  I  found  that  my  position  was  next  to  Oojibetoos,  on 
his  left.  Next  to  me,  on  my  left,  were  my  two  Indians.  On 
Oojibetoos's  right,  in  the  circle,  was  his  wife,  and  beyond  her 
were  their  children.  Then  next  to  them  was  another  squaw, 
and  beyond  her  was  her  husband.  Who  constituted  the  rest 
of  the  circle  I  do  not  now  recollect,  but  this  I  do  distinctly 
remember,  that  there  were  twenty-three  persons,  young  and 
old,  male  and  female,  to  spend  the  night  in  that  little  birch- 
bark  wigwam. 

As  it  was  late  and  we  were  very  tired  I  said  a  few  words 
about  family  prayers  and  then  conducted  the  first  ever  held 
in  that  tent.  Soon  after  my  guide,  who  had  brought  in  my 
blankets,  quickly  arranged  them  in  order  and  tucked  me  up 
in  them.  I  was  so  placed  that  while  my  feet  were  toward 
the  fire  my  head  was  close  to  the  birch-bark  covering  of  the 
rude  wigwam.  The  rest  of  the  company  quickly  arranged 
themselves  in  order,  and  when  this  was  accomplished  as  we 
lay  there  we  looked  like  the  spokes  of  a  wagon-wheel,  while 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  181 

the  fire  represented  the  hub.  Some  of  the  Indians,  as  is  their 
custom,  smoked  away  even  after  they  had  wrapped  themselves 
up  in  their  blankets.  A  little  hum  of  conversation  continued 
for  a  time,  and  then  all  was  still.  The  native  dogs  had  all 
been  driven  outside,  owing  to  the  crowded  state  of  the  wig 
wam;  but  now,  when  all  was  quiet,  one  of  them  pushed  him 
self  in  under  the  door,  which  was  nothing  more  than  a  deer 
skin  hung  between  two  poles.  After  jumping  over  a  number 
of  the  prostrate  persons  on  the  ground,  and  only  stopping  at 
one  place  where  he  could  lick  the  fish-kettles  clean  for  the 
cooking  of  the  next  morning's  breakfast,  he  continued  mov 
ing  around  the  circle  until  he  jumped  over  me  and  then 
quickly  curled  himself  down  at  his  master's  back  between  us. 
The  space  was  very  limited,  but  I  quietly  said,  "  If  you  be 
have  yourself  and  keep  still  you  may  stay  there;  if  not,  you 
shall  go  out."  For  a  little  while  he  was  very  still,  and  I  was 
trying  to  go  to  sleep,  when  suddenly  the  dog  began  a  vigorous 
scratching  of  his  ear  with  one  of  his  forefeet.  Such  was  his 
position  that  the  part  of  his  leg  corresponding  to  the  elbow 
began  to  beat  most  vigorously  against  my  ribs.  This  was 
not  conducive  to  sleep,  and  although  I  am  a  great  admirer  of 
fine  dogs  I  could  not  stand  this  treatment,  and  so  I  gave  him 
a  vigorous  blow,  which  sent  him  howling  out  of  the  tent  in  a 
hurry.  Several  times  during  the  night  did  that  dog  return, 
and  as  many  times  as  he  began  his  scratching  did  I  thus  de 
cidedly  drive  him  out.  At  length  he  seemed  to  get  discour 
aged  by  such  treatment  and  decided  to  remain  outside,  and  I 
at  length  fell  into  a  sound  sleep. 

Oojibetoos  had  gone  to  sleep  with  his  back  toward  me,  but 
owing  to  the  small  space  he  had  between  the  fire  and  the 
sloping  bark-wall  of  the  wigwam  he  had  to  lie  with  his  knees 
well  drawn  up,  so  as  to  keep  his  feet  out  of  the  fire.  During 
the  night  he  seemed  to  have  become  tired  sleeping  on  his 
right  side,  and  so  he  turned  over  toward  me,  on  his  left  side. 
So  close  together  were  we  in  the  limited  space  allowed  us 
that  when  he  rolled  over  his  knees  touched  me  with  sufficient 


JS2  STORI&S  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAMS 

force  to  make  me  in  my  dreaming  or  semi-conscious  state 
imagine  that  that  miserable  dog  was  there  again.  Quick  as 
a  flash  I  drew  up  my  left  hand,  and,  striking  out  vigorously 
from  the  shoulder,  I  gave  my  big  Indian  host  a  blow  in  the 
ribs  that  fairly  made  him  howl.  There  was  trouble  at  once. 
Oojibetoos  was  a  wild  Saulteaux,  and  for  such  a  man  to  be 
thus  struck,  and  in  his  own  wigwam,  too,  was  a  mortal  insult. 
So  up  he  sprang,  and,  seizing  his  gun,  he  yelled  out  his  war- 
whoops  and  made  his  direful  threats.  At  the  first  yell  he 
gave  of  course  every  body  was  aroused.  Papooses  cried, 
women  screamed,  and  all  were  excited.  My  own  men  were 
alarmed  at  seeing  a  great  big  Indian  with  a  loaded  gun  stand 
ing  over  me.  I  too  had  now  become  wide  awake,  and  quickly 
did  I  realize  the  trouble  into  which  I  had  placed  myself.  I 
saw  at  once  there  was  no  time  for  explanation,  but  like  a  flash 
there  came  into  my  mind  the  remembrance  of  the  power  of 
tobacco  over  the  Indian,  and  so  without  saying  a  word  I 
quietly  reached  over  to  the  fire-bag  of  my  Indian  guide, 
and  taking  from  it  a  large  piece  I  quickly  reached  up  and  put 
it  on  the  hand  of  my  angry,  excited  Indian  friend.  His  gun 
quickly  dropped  from  him  when  he  felt  the  touch  of  the  to 
bacco,  and  while  he  pulled  out  his  pipe  and  began  filling  it 
some  one  put  some  more  wood  on  the  fire  which  had  nearly 
burned  out,  and  soon  the  wigwam  was  bright  again.  Oojibe 
toos  passed  the  large  piece  of  tobacco  on  to  the  other  men, 
who,  when  they  had  filled  their  pipes,  all  began  smoking,  al 
though  not  a  word  had  been  said  since  the  angry  man  had 
ceased  his  fierce,  threatening  words.  When  all  were  smoking 
I  drew  myself  out  of  my  blankets,  and  standing  up  before 
them  I  told  the  story  of  the  dog  and  of  how  I  had  been  an 
noyed  by  him  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  night  repeatedly 
coming  in  and  disturbing  me,  but  that  at  length  he  had  de 
cided  to  remain  outside  and  I  had  gone  to  sleep.  Then  I 
showed  how  Oojibetoos  had  been  sleeping,  and  explained  his 
turning  over  and  touching  me  with  his  knees  near  where  the 
dog  had  annoyed  me,  and  how  that  in  the  stupidity  and 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  183 

foolishness  of  sleep  I  bad  imagined  it  was  the  dog  again,  and 
in  my  half-waking  state  I  had  struck  out  so  vigorously  and 
hit  ray  friend  by  mistake.  "  For  doing  this,"  I  said,  "  I  am  very 
sorry,  and  I  sincerely  ask  his  pardon,  for  there  is  no  quarrel 
between  us.  The  whole  trouble  was  owing  to  the  dog  and 
my  own  stupidity  when  half  asleep."  Of  course  I  was  freely 
forgiven,  and  great  was  the  merriment  of  the  people  at  my 
mistake.  Oojibetoos  came  in  fora  good  deal  of  good-natured 
banter,  which  he  took  in  capital  spirit.  He  visited  me  several 
times  in  the  years  following  and  eventually  became  a  good 
Christian.  We  often  used  to  laugh  over  our  first  night 
together  in  his  wigwam.  As  he  had  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  that  wild  country  I  used  to  employ  him  as  my  guide  on 
some  of  my  trips  in  the  winter-time.  When  arranging  our 
sleeping-places  in  the  wintry  camp  Oojibetoos  would  never 
sleep  next  to  me,  although  as  guide  he  Avas  expected  to  take 
that  position.  When  rallied  about  his  refusing  to  sleep  there 
he  used  to  laughingly  say,  "  Once  I  tried  it  and  the  mission 
ary  mistook  me  for  a  dog  and  gave  me  a  crack  that  made  my 
ribs  ache,  and  who  knows  what  he  might  do  again  ?  " 


184  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  XV. 

COUETSHIP  AND  MARRIAGE RAPID  CHANGES DIFFERENT  TRI 
BAL  CUSTOMS FLUCTUATING    PRICES    PAID    FOR    WIVES 

MARRIAGE    OF    OLD    JA-KOOS WEDDING-FEAST NERVOUS 

ATTEMPTS   AT  CIVILIZED  COURTSHIP SEEKING  ASSISTANCE 

- — YOUNG  MAIDENS  ANTICIPATING   LEAP-YEAR  PRIVILEGES 
BARKIS-LIKE,    SHE    WAS    "QUITE  WILLING." 

SO  rapidly  are  the  old  habits  and  customs  of  the  Indians 
passing  away  that  it  is  necessary  to  quickly  gather  up  all 
the  knowledge  of  them  we  can,  as  the  indications  are  that 
these  will  soon  only  exist  in  tradition.  In  these  days,  when 
governments  are  adopting  the  plan  of  placing  them  on 
reservations,  under  the  influences  of  agents,  school-masters, 
and  missionaries,  and  constant  observance  of  the  ways  of 
the  dominant  race,  such  transitions  are  taking  place  that 
the  old  Indian  will  soon  only  have  an  existence  in  the  past. 
Would  that  every  change  might  be  for  the  better  ! 

Among  these  changes,  amounting  almost  to  a  revolution, 
those  pertaining  to  courtship  and  marriage  are  very  marked. 
Once,  among  some  of  the  tribes,  when  the  young  men  wanted 
wives  they  had  to  purchase  them  from  the  parents,  the  young 
damsels  themselves  having  nothing  to  say  about  the  bargain, 
but  were  expected  to  quietly  submit  to  the  arrangement. 
Among  some  of  the  other  tribes  the  young  expectant  bride 
groom  had  to  go  through  a  sort  of  ceremony  in  order  to 
obtain  the  good  will  of  the  young  Indian  maiden  ere  he  pur 
chased  her  from  her  father.  He  was  obliged  to  go  early  in 
the  morning  to  the  door  of  her  father's  wigwam,  and  there, 
wrapped  up  in  his  blanket,  to  sit  during  all  the  hours  of  the 
day.  It  was  considered  the  highest  etiquette  not  to  take  the 
slightest  notice  of  him.  Day  after  day  he  would  come  and 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  185 

remain  in  the  same  quiet  position.  After  a  week  or  more 
had  passed,  if  he  was  considered  an  agreeable  suitor  for  the 
damsel  he  wished,  his  patience  was  at  length  rewarded  and 
he  was  invited  into  the  wigwam  and  food  was  set  before 
him.  Then  his  friends  appeared  and  brought  forward  the 
presents  he  was  willing  to  give  for  the  girl  of  his  choice. 
Days  and  even  weeks  were  sometimes  spent  in  discussion 
and  bargaining  ere  all  the  parties  were  satisfied.  Often  the 
maiden  was  held  at  too  high  a  price,  and  so  the  disconsolate 
lover  had  to  seek  a  bride  at  another  wigwam  where  the  price 
was  not  so  high. 

Among  the  Choctaws  when  a  young  Indian  saw  a  fair 
maiden  whom  he  wished  to  wed  he  would  watch  for  an  op 
portunity  to  find  her  alone.  Then  he  quietly  advanced,  and, 
in  passing,  dropped  a  little  pebble  at  her'  feet.  If  he  was 
agreeable  to  her  she  quietly  let  him  know  that  she  thought 
well  of  him.  If  otherwise,  a  scornful  look  or  a  repelling 
word  caused  him  to  beat  a  retreat  as  soon  as  possible. 
When  both  parties  were  satisfied  and  the  marriage  arranged, 
time  and  place  were  soon  agreed  upon  by  the  relatives. 
When  the  time  arrived  the  friends  of  the  young  people  met 
at  the  homes  of  each  and  from  thence  escorted  them  toward 
the  marriage-ground.  Both  parties  halted  at  a  distance 
from  the  selected  spot.  Then  the  brothers  or  some  of  the 
nearest  male  relatives  of  the  bride  approached  the  other 
party  and,  escorting  the  bridegroom  forward,  seated  him 
upon  a  blanket  spread  out  upon  the  ground.  The  sisters  or, 
if  none,  the  near  young  female  relatives  of  the  bridegroom 
then  went  over  to  the  other  party  and  brought  forward  the 
bride.  It  was  expected  of  her  that  she  would  break  loose 
from  them  and  run  away.  Great  was  the  excitement,  but 
the  fleet  youngsters  of  both  sexes  joined  in  the  chase,  and 
soon  she  was  pursued  and  captured  and  brought  back  in 
triumph  and  seated  by  the  side  of  the  bridegroom.  Circles 
of  friends  then  formed  around  the  young  couple.  A  bag  of 
bread  was  brought  forward  by  the  woman's  relatives  and 
15 


286  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

given  to  the  bride,  a  significant  symbol  that  the  woman 
should  hoe  the  corn  and  make  the  bread.  The  man's  rela 
tives  brought  a  bag  of  meat  to  him,  indicative  of  the  hope 
that  he  would  be  a  good  hunter  and  keep  the  house  well 
furnished  with  game.  Then  presents  of  various  kinds  were 
given  to  the  young  couple,  and  the  whole  ceremony  ended 
up  with  a  feast. 

Among  the  different  tribes  the  price  of  a  wife  varies  con 
siderably.  Once  when  I  was  marrying  a  young  couple  of 
Christian  Indians  in  a  church,  crowded  as  they  usually  are 
upon  these  occasions  in  all  lands,  an  old  pagan  Saulteaux,  who 
had  come  in  early  and  taken  a  seat  on  the  floor,  after  wit 
nessing  the  affair  and  hearing  the  responses  of  the  different 
parties,  spoke  out  so  loudly  that  I  heard  him  saying  at  the 
close  of  the  ceremony,  "  When  I  wanted  a  wife  I  did  not 
have  to  go  through  all  that  trouble  to  get  her." 

"  How  did  you  get  your  wife  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  bought  this  old  wife,"  was  his  quick  reply,  as  he  poked 
an  old  woman  who  was  sitting  on  the  floor  beside  him  in  the 
ribs  with  the  end  of  his  long  pipe. 

"  How  much  did  you  give  for  her?"  I  asked. 

"A  blanket  and  a  gun,"  he  answered. 

"  Were  you  never  married  with  a  book  ?  " — which  is  the 
way  of  expressing  Christian  marriage. 

"  No,  indeed,"  he  replied. 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  I  think  it  is  about  time  you  were." 

The  other  couple  had  departed,  yet  hundreds  of  the  people 
remained  to  see  if  a  second  wedding  was  coming  off;  so 
I  said,  "  Bring  your  wife  and  come  here  and  I  will  marry 
you." 

The  old  fellow,  who  was  a  great  favorite,  although  still  a 
pagan,  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  hour,  and  seeing  where 
he  could  get  even  with  me  quickly  sprang  up,  and,  bringing 
his  old  wife  with  him,  stood  up  before  me,  amid  the  merri 
ment  of  the  crowd.  We  added  the  name  of  William  to  his 
Indian  name  of  Ja-Koos,  and  gave  her  the  name  of  Mary.  I 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  187 

put  them  through  the  translated  ceremony  of  the  marriage 
service,  and  he  heartily  responded  to  all  the  promises  to  love 
and  cherish  therein  recorded.  When  the '  ceremony  was 
ended  and  they  were  receiving  the  profuse  congratulations  of 
every  body  the  old  woman  of  over  seventy  years,  who  had 
been  his  wife  for  over  fifty,  looked  up  into  his  face  and  said, 
"William,  that  is  the  first  time  you  ever  took  my  hand  in 
yours  and  said  you  loved  me." 

The  crowd  laughed,  but  to  me  there  was  a  volume  of  mean 
ing  in  her  words.  In  paganism  these  Indian  men  think  it  is 
a  sign  of  weakness  to  say  a  kind  word  to  a  woman.  Chris 
tianity  marvelously  changes  these  things. 

William  winced  a  little  under  her  words  but  made  no  re 
ply.  He  was  thinking  about  something  else,  and  so,  turning 
again  to  me,  he  said,  "Now,  missionary,  you  know  a  wed 
ding  is  not  complete  without  a  big  feast,  and  as  you  got  up 
this  wedding  of  course  you  will  furnish  the  feast." 

As  there  was  some  force  in  what  he  said  we  did  not  dis 
appoint  him;  but  the  appetite  he  had  was  simply  marvelous, 
while  the  number  of  his  relatives  who  seemed  to  think  they  had 
a  right  to  all  the  privileges  of  that  marriage-feast  was  amaz 
ing,  especially  as  before  the  event  it  seemed  as  though  he  had 
but  few. 

Very  amusing  are  some  of  the  attempts  at  courtship  of 
some  of  these  Indians,  as,  dressed  up  in  the  Hudson  Bay  store 
clothes,  they,  like  young  white  men,  start  off  on  their  ad 
ventures.  In  some  cases  so  completely  do  the  bashful  young 
fellows  fail  either  in  their  attempts  to  muster  up  courage  to 
ask  the  dusky  damsels  to  be  their  wives  or  to  win  their  notice 
that  often  do  they  wish  the  old  custom  was  back  again  and 
they  could  without  any  of  this  fuss  of  courting  go  and  pur 
chase  from  their  fathers  those  who  had  taken  their  fancy 
and  then  at  once  take  possession  of  them.  In  their  perplexi 
ties  and  troubles  we  have  had  them  come  to  us  to  aid  them 
in  this  very  important  crisis.  Some  of  them,  even  when  feel 
ing  quite  certain  that  the  object  of  their  affections  would  not 


188  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

say  them  nay,  had  not  the  courage  to  ask  the  important  ques 
tion  upon  which  so  much  depended;  and  so  it  was  no  very 
uncommon  occurrence  in  our  routine  of  duties  to  have  some 
fine  young  fellow  come  into  our  mission  home  and,  after 
hemming  and  hawing  about  various  things,  with  much 
trepidation,  in  a  roundabout  way  begin  something  like  this  : 

"  Say,  please,  missionary,  you  know  I  have  built  a  nice  new 
house  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  am  glad  you  have  a  nice  house." 

<(  And,  missionary,  I  have  a  large  potato  field  all  ready." 

"  Yes  ?     That  is  a  good  thing." 

"  And  I  have  some  nets  and  traps." 

u  All  very  good,"  I  replied. 

"  And  I  have  thirty  pounds  to  my  credit  in  the  company's 
books."  (This  was  equal  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.) 

"I  am  delighted  to  hear  that.  It  shows  that  you  have 
been  prudent  and  careful." 

Then,  as  the  nervous  fellow  could  go  on  no  farther,  I  said, 
"I  am  pleased  to  hear  all  these  things;  but  why  have  you 
come  to-day  to  tell  them  to  me  ?  " 

"  O,  because  I  was  thinking  it  was  time  I  should  get  mar 
ried,"  he  said. 

"  A  capital  idea,"  I  replied.     "  How  old  are  you  ?  " 

"  Twenty-eight,"  I  remember  one  young  fellow  said. 

"  Twenty-eight  and  not  married  yet?  Why,  of  course  it  is 
time  you  got  a  wife." 

As  he  waited  for  me  to  go  on  I  continued:  "  Who  is  the 
fortunate  girl  you  have  selected  as  your  bride  ?  " 

With  a  good  deal  of  blushing  and  hesitancy  he  said, 
"  Kitty  is  the  one  I  want." 

As  Kitty,  to  whom  he  referred,  was  a  good,  industrious, 
Christian  girl,  I  congratulated  him  on  his  choice  and  inquired 
when  the  wedding  was  to  come  off. 

"  O,"  he  explained,  "  we  have  not  got  as  far  as  that  yet." 

"  Well,  how  far  have  you  got  ?  "  I  laughingly  replied. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  189 

"  Why,  I  have  not  asked  her  yet,"  was  his  answer;  "  but  I 
think  she  is  the  nicest  of  the  girls,  and  I  want  to  get  her  if  I 
can." 

For  my  reply  I  said,  "  Do  you  not  think  that  you  had 
better  hurry  up?  For  you  know  Kitty  is  a  great  favorite, 
and  some  other  young  fellow  may  get  up  courage  and  ask 
her  before  you." 

This  seemed  to  throw  him  into  a  great  state  of  excitement, 
and  at  once  drew  from  him  the  reason  of  his  visit  to  us;  and 
so  in  a  way  that  was  pathetic  as  well  as  ludicrous  he  pleaded 
that  either  Mrs.  Young  or  I  should  go  and  ask  Kitty  if  she 
would  be  his  wife,  and  to  tell  her  how  great  his  love  was  for 
her,  and  how  hard  he  had  worked  to  get  his  little  home  ready 
for  her,  and  that  he  had  the  thirty  pounds  ahead  with  which 
to  make  the  biggest  wedding-feast  ever  known  in  the  village. 
We  laughed  heartily  over  the  young  fellow's  timidity  in  this 
matter.  He  was  one  of  our  bravest  hunters,  and  nothing 
would  give  him  greater  delight  than,  armed  only  with  his 
hunting-knife,  to  meet  the  biggest  bear  in  the  woods;  but 
here,  when  it  came  to  the  matter  of  asking  a  pretty  black-eyed, 
blushing  Indian  maiden  to  be  his  bride,  his  courage  all  left 
him,  and  to  us  he  came  to  help  him  out  of  his  troubles.  As 
we  much  respected  him  for  his  sterling  worth,  and  the  match 
was  in  every  way  desirable,  and  it  was  soon  found  out  that 
the  young  lady  was  looking  in  the  same  direction,  every  thing 
Avas  quickly  and  happily  arranged,  to  his  great  delight,  and 
there  Avas  a  wedding-feast  of  such  dimensions  that  the  memory 
of  it  slill  lingers  among  them. 

The  change  from  the  old  style  of  things  has  even  affected 
the  maidens  themselves,  and  knowing  now  that  they  are  not 
to  be  bought  from  their  fathers  as  was  the  custom  in  the  old 
pagan  times,  and  so  in  their  shrewdness  having  an  idea  that 
some  of  the  young  men  are  a  little  shy  and  fearful  about  de 
claring  themselves,  they  are  at  times  not  umvillingto  let  their 
preferences  be  known.  Not  that  they  are  bold  and  forward, 
which  is  not  the  case,  for  we  ever  found  that  the  Indian 


190  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

women,  both  young  and  old,  of  the  different  tribes  among 
whom  we  lived  were  modest  and  retiring  to  a  degree  that  could 
safely  be  imitated  by  many  others  of  a  whiter  skin  who  have 
despised  them  as  inferiors. 

Still,  as  it  is  with  their  white  sisters,  there  are  times  when 
a  bashful  lover  needs  a  little  encouragement  to  help  him  de 
clare  his  intentions,  and  as  these  Indian  girls  have  not  yet 
been  initiated  into  leap-year  privileges  they  think  there  are 
times  when  in  some  way  or  other  they  should  be  permitted 
to  make  their  preferences  known. 

Take  this  for  an  illustration:  While  Mrs.  Young  and  my 
self  were  busily  engaged  in  our  work  there  came  into  our 
house  one  Monday  morning  a  young  maiden  without  ceremony, 
and,  demurely  seating  herself,  began  a  conversation  with  us. 
Indians,  young  and  old,  never  knock  at  the  door  or  ring  the 
bell,  but  quietly  and  noiselessly  come  in  when  they  think 
they  have  any  thing  to  say.  As  this  young  woman  had  her 
shawl  well  drawn  over  her  face  and  moved  nervously  about 
on  her  chair,  and  I  was  engrossed  in  some  study  that  needed 
all  my  thoughts,  I  said  to  Mrs.  Young,  "That  girl  has  something 
she  wants  to  talk  about;  please  find  out  what  it  is  and  let  her 
go."  As  soon  as  the  girl  heard  this  she  turned  to  me  and 
said,  very  earnestly :  "  Benjamin  was  looking  at  me  in  church 
last  Sunday."  I  was  inclined  to  laugh,  but  of  course  it  would 
never  do,  I  thought,  and  so,  trying  to  frown  at  her,  I  said, 
"  Shame  on  you  !  You  ought  to  have  been  looking  at  the 
preacher  and  listening  to  the  words  from  the  great  book  in 
stead  of  looking  at  the  young  men." 

"  O,  but  he  was  looking  at  me,"  she  said  with  great  serious 
ness.  In  this  church  the  men  are  seated  on  one  side  and  the 
women  on  the  other,  with  a  broad  aisle  between  them. 

"  Looking  at  you  ?  "  I  answered.  "  How  could  you  have 
seen  him  looking  at  you  if  you  had  not  been  looking  at  him?" 

Not  to  be  thwarted,  she  sturdily  replied,  "  Well,  I  felt  he 
was  looking  at  me,  and  so  every  time  I  turned  and  looked  at 
him,  sure  enough,  there  he  was,  looking  at  me." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  191 

Feeling  that  her  conduct  was  not  that  which  ought  to  be 
encouraged,  and  yet  amused  at  her  candor,  I  said  as  sternly 
as  I  could  under  the  circumstances,  "  Well,  suppose  he  was 
looking  at  you;  what  has  that  to  do  with  you,  and  why  do 
you  come  here  to  tell  us  ?  " 

Gathering  her  shawl  over  her  face  so  that  not  even  one  of 
her  black  eyes  was  visible,  she  said  in  a  half-roguish,  half- 
serious  way,  "  Why,  I  have  come  to  see  you  because  we  girls 
know  that  Benjamin  had  built  a  house,  and  we  had  heard 
that  he  was  thinking  about  getting  married."  And  then  she 
started  for  the  door,  and  as  she  fled  out  she  said,  "  As  he  was 
looking  so  much  at  me  in  church  I  thought  perhaps  I  was 
the  one  he  wanted,  and  if  it  is  so  you  can  tell  him  I  am  quite 
willing." 


192  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

INDIAN      WIT     AND     HUMOR THE     DISH      OF     HOUSE-RADISH — 

GENERAL    CUSTER's    STORY    OF  THE    CHIEF    WHO     SURREN 
DERED    BECAUSE     A    WHOLE  "MULE     WAS    FIRED    AT  HIM 

QUAINT   STORIES  OF  JOHN  SUNDAY HIS  FABLE   OF   THE 

BLACK-SNAKE  AND  THE  FROG HOW  JOHN  SILENCED  THE 

MORMON  PREACHER HOW  NEAR  HE  CAME  TO  GETTING  A 

D.D. HIS  QUAINT    MISSIONARY   APPEAL  TO  MR.   GOLD 

OLD  THICKFOOT THE  STOLID,  HUMOROUS  CHIEF'S  IDEA  OF 

SIN — AN  INDIAN'S  SHREWDNESS  IN  CARRYING  CIDER  IN  A 

BASKET A  SENSIBLE  REPLY  TO   A  CHALLENGE  TO  FIGHT 

A   DUEL THE    INDIAN   MAGISTRATE    WHO    FINED    BOTH 

PLAINTIFF  AND    DEFENDANT — A  QUEER   VERDICT MAN- 

AFRA1D-OF-NOTHING. 

¥E  have  filled  up  this  chapter  with  a  number  of  stories 
illustrative  of  what  with  a  certain  amount  of  latitude 
may  he  called  Indian  humor.  As  a  general  thing,  however, 
these  red  men  are  very  much  behind  many  other  races  in  the 
possession  of  this  characteristic.  The  elderly  men  are  natu 
rally  grave  and  sedate  in  private  life,  and  in  their  public  ad 
dresses,  amid  their  flights  of  fancy,  while  they  are  quick  to 
grasp  the  subject  under  consideration  or  to  observe  the  weak 
points  in  an  opponent's  speech,  very  seldom  indulge  in  banter 
or  strive  to  be  humorous  or  witty.  Still,  they  were  not  all  so 
solemn  or  stoical.  I  was  well  acquainted  with  many  who 
were  just  the  reverse. 

On  my  long  journeys  by  canoe  or  dog-train,  where  some 
times  we  were  delayed  for  days  on  some  rocky  isle  or  point, 
or  in  some  wintry  camp,  I  was  often  amused  by  the  bright 
repartee  and  ready,  clever  replies  of  my  Indian  attendants, 
some  of  whom  seemed  never  to  lose  their  vivacity  or  become 
disheartened  amid  our  disagreeable  surroundings.  In  our 


THE    INDIAN   COVXTRJ. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  193 

darkest  hours  they  ever  seemed  able  to  find  something  ludi 
crous  at  which  to  create  a  laugh  and  thus  brighten  up  the 
dreary  hours  through  which  we  had  to  wait  until  the  storm 
abated  and  we  were  able  to  push  on. 

THE    CHIEFS    AXD    THE    HORSE-RADISH. 

The  following  incident,  with  its  witty  retort,  occurred  at 
Washington.  Two  prominent  Indian  chiefs,  who  were  part 
of  a  deputation  which  had  come  to  the  city  on  business, 
were  taken  home  to  dine  by  a  large-hearted  gentleman 
with  his  family.  The  dinner  was  a  grand  affair,  and  there 
was  a  great  variety  of  dishes  provided.  The  chiefs,  Indian- 
like,  had  a  curiosity  to  taste  every  thing  on  the  table.  Among 
other  things  provided  was  a  dish  of  horse-radish.  The  chief 
nearest  it,  not  knowing  any  thing  of  its  fiery  nature,  took 
a  spoonful  of  it  and  quickly  swallowed  it.  As  a  natural  re 
sult  the  tears  were  soon  running  down  his  face,  although  by 
a  great  effort  he  was  able  to  conceal  every  other  effect  it 
had  upon  him. 

The  other  chief,  on  observing  his  tears,  with  much  concern 
said,  "  Why  do  you  weep,  my  brother  ?  " 

As  soon  as  the  victimized  man  could  control  himself  enough 

O 

to  speak  calmly,  he  replied,  "  I  am  weeping  as  I  think  of  my 
ancestors  who  were  slain  in  battle." 

The  subject  was  then  dropped  and  the  dinner  proceeded. 
After  a  while  the  horse-radish  was  moved  round  to  the 
other  side  of  the  table  and  the  second  chief  helped  himself 
to  a  spoonful  of  it  with  the  same  result.  Observing  him 
weeping,  his  comrade,  with  a  great  apparent  show  of  sym 
pathy,  put  to  him  the  same  question,  "  Why  do  you  weep, 
my  brother  ?  " 

As  quickly  as  possible  came  back  the  witty  retort,  "  I 
weep  with  vexation  because  you  were  not  slain  with  your 
ancestors  in  battle."  lie  was  quite  indignant  that  his 
brother-chief  had  not  given  him  timely  warning  against  the 
fiery  dish. 


194  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


A  few  months  before  General  Ouster  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Rosebud  by  Sitting  Bull  I  spent  three  days  with 
him.  We  had  many  talks  and  some  discussions  about  the 
Indians  and  the  different  methods  of  dealing  with  them.  In 
one  of  our  conversations  he  told  me  the  following  story,  which 
showed  that  one  Indian,  at  least,  was  not  entirely  destitute  of 
a  kind  of  grim  humor. 

General  Custer  said  he  had  been  following  up  a  band  of 
hostile  Indians,  and  when  night  overtook  him  had  driven  them 
well  up  into  some  ravines  and  mountains.  lie  rested  his 
troops  a  few  hours,  and  then,  as  he  had  a  number  of  capital 
scouts  or  guides  who  knew  the  country  well,  he  resumed  the 
march  very  early  in  the  morning,  and  the  scouts  discovered 
the  Indians  on  a  bluff  before  them,  beginning  to  make  prep 
aration  for  their  breakfast.  General  Custer  immediately 
sent  a  part  of  his  force  by  a  circuitous  path  around  in  the 
morning  twilight  to  try  and  head  off  the  enemy  when  he 
would  make  the  attack.  When  he  thought  all  was  ready  the 
signal  of  attack  was  sounded,  and  with  his  troops  he  dashed 
into  their  midst.  The  Indians  were  so  completely  taken  off 
their  guard — for  they  had  never  dreamed  of  being  followed 
up  through  the  night — that  they  made  but  little  defense,  and, 
seizing  only  their  weapons,  rapidly  disappeared  over  the  pre 
cipitous  bluff.  Such  was  the  wild  character  of  the  country, 
and  the  intimate  acquaintance  that  these  Indians  had  of  every 
part  of  it,  that  Custer  had  but  little  hopes  of  shooting  or 
capturing  any  number  of  them. 

Having  a  small  howitzer  or  mountain  cannon,  which  was 
carried  upon  the  back  of  a  large  mule,  Custer  ordered  it, 
while  still  fastened  to  the  mule,  to  be  quickly  loaded  and 
fired  down  the  side  of  the  steep  bluff  where  he  had  observed 
the  greatest  number  of  the  enemy  to  disappear.  From  some 
cause  or  other  the  mule,  generally  so  reliable,  perhaps  upset 
by  the  concussion,  lost  her  footing  on  the  edge  of  the  bluff 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  195 

and  went  crashing  down  the  mountain-side  and  disappeared 
in  the  dense  underbrush  and  trees  at  the  foot  many  hundreds 
of  yards  below.  So  precipitous  was  the  place  that  no  effort 
could  be  made  to  recover  either  the  poor  mule's  equipment  or 
the  cannon.  With  that  part  of  his  regiment  which  was  with 
him  he  breakfasted  where  the  hostile  Indians  a  short  time 
before  had  made  all  preparations  for  the  same  morning  meal, 
but  from  which  they  had  been  so  unceremoniously  driven. 
After  a  few  hours'  waiting  he  was  joined  by  the  rest  of  his 
troops,  Avho  had  been  sent  on  ahead  to  try  if  possible  and 
intercept  the  retreating  Indians.  To  Ouster's  surprise  his 
troops  had  secured  quite  a  number  of  prisoners,  and  among 
them  one  of  the  most  warlike  and  cunning  chiefs  of  the 
hostile  tribe. 

When  the  stiffness  of  the  surrender  had  worn  off,  and  the 
general  had  heard  the  reports  of  his  subordinate  officers  and 
the  conversation  had  become  general,  Ouster  asked  the  chief 
for  his  version  of  how  it  was  that  he  was  captured.  His 
answer  was  characteristic  and  unexpected  : 

"General,"  said  he,  "I  am  not  afraid  to  fight  men  armed 
with  bows  and  arrows  or  with  spears  and  tomahawks,  and 
I  love  the  battle  with  your  soldiers  armed  with  carbines  or 
rifles,  and  you  know  I  have  not  often  been  whipped,  and  I 
have  often  heard  the  roar  of  your  big  guns  and  have  not 
been  afraid ;  but,  general,"  he  continued,  with  a  little 
bit  of  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "  when  I  found  you  were  able 
to  fire  a  tchole  mule  at  me  I  made  up  my  mind  it  ivas  time 
to  surrender" 

It  seems  he  had  been  among  the  crowd,  when  the  attack 
was  made  upon  them,  who  had  slipped  over  that  side  of  the 
bluff  down  which  the  howitzer  was  fired  and  were  hiding  at 

O 

the  bottom  in  fancied  security  when  the  mule  came  tumbling 
into  their  midst.  This  new  method  of  warfare  seemed  to  so 
impress  them  that  they  decided  on  an  immediate  surrender, 
although  their  hiding-place  in  all  probability  would  not  have 
been  discovered. 


196  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

• 

THE  FABLE  OF  THE  BLACK-SXAKE  AXD  THE  FROG. 

The  Rev.  John  Sunday,  a  full-blooded  Canadian-Indian 
missionary,  was  full  of  wit  and  shrewdness.  For  many  years 
he  was  a  favorite  speaker  in  all  the  cities  and  towns  of 
Canada,  and  never  failed  to  charm  and  delight  as  well  as  profit 
his  large  audiences. 

As  a  missionary  among  his  own  people  he  was  very  suc 
cessful  in  his  work.  As  pastor  and  general  adviser  his  good 
judgment  and  tact  gave  him  great  influence  over  them  for 
good.  His  methods  of  work  and  schemes  to  overcome  the 
difficulties  showed  him  to  be  a  man  of  no  mean  ability.  Here 
is  the  plan  adopted  to  prevent  a  couple  of  his  people  on  one 
of  his  missions  from  going  to  law  to  settle  a  dispute  about 
the  exact  location  of  the  boundary-fence  between  their  re 
spective  farms. 

John  Sunday  was  a  great  admirer  of  ^Esofis  Fables,  and  so 
when  he  found  out  that  his  two  parishioners  were  resolved 
to  imitate  the  whites  and  go  to  law  about  the  fence  rather 
than  submit  to  arbitration,  in  the  presence  of  some  wise  peo 
ple  he  told  them  this  fable  : 

"  Once  upon  a  time  an  Indian  was  walking  on  the  shore  of 
Rice  Lake  when  he  saw  a  great  big  black-snake  out  looking 
for  his  breakfast.  He  looked  here  and  he  looked  there,  under 
this  log  and  in  that  dense  bush,  until  at  length  near  a  marshy 
place  he  saw  a  great  big  bull-frog.  At  him  he  rushed,  and  at 
length  he  managed  to  catch  him  by  the  hind  legs  and  at 
once  began  to  swallow  him.  The  frog  was  a  very  large  one 
and  resisted  with  all  his  might.  He  struggled  and  pulled 
and  jumped  this  way  and  that  way,  and  tried  to  shake  off  the 
snake,  but  he  could  not  succeed.  But  in  his  struggles  lie 
managed  to  make  the  snake's  body  fly  around  like  a  whip 
lash  until  the  tail  came  so  near  that  the  frog  was  able  to  catch 
hold  of  it  in  his  forefeet.  Holding  on  tightly  to  it,  the  frog 
at  once  began  to  swallow  it  while  the  snake  was  hard  at  work 
swallowing  him  from  the  other  end.  And  thus,"  added  the 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  197 

missionary,  gravely,   "  they  went  on  swallowing  each  other 
until  there  was  nothing  left  of  either  of  them." 

The  story  was  so  ludicrous,  and  yet  so  suggestive,  that  the 
would-be  litigants  saw  its  drift  and  the  object  of  their  faith 
ful  missionary  in  giving  them  this  fable,  and  then  and  there 
shook  hands  and  quickly  settled  the  matter  in  dispute  with 
out  any  more  trouble. 

THE    MORMON    PREACHER    SILENCED    BY  JOHN    SUNDAY. 

Long  years  ago,  when  the  Mormon  excitement  prevailed 
both  in  the  New  England  States  and  Canada,  a  Mormon 
preacher  came  to  the  Bay  of  Quinte  County,  in  the  Province 
of  Ontario,  and  held  a  series  of  meetings  with  the  object  of 
making  proselytes  for  the  western  Mormon  country.  But 
shortly  before  this  a  number  of  Indians  had  become  Christians, 
and  hearing  of  these  Mormon  services,  but  not  knowing  their 
character,  some  of  them  attended.  Great  was  their  sorrow 
at  hearing  the  Bible  which  they  had  learned  to  love  so  be 
littled  and  despised,  and  the  Book  of  Mormon,  which  he 
said  had  been  dug  up  out  of  the  ground,  highly  extolled  above 
it.  When  the  Mormon  had  finished  his  discourse  about  the 
book  he  gave  permission  for  any  of  the  congregation  to  say 
any  thing  they  desired  about  what  he  had  said.  All  sat  still, 
and  as  no  white  man  was  found  brave  enough  to  get  up  and 
defend  the  old  book  John  Sunday  at  length  arose  and  asked 
if  an  Indian  might  speak.  The  desired  permission  having 
been  given  by  the  Mormon,  the  pious  Indian  replied  as 
follows  : 

"  A  great  many  winters  ago  the  Great  Spirit  gave  his  good 
book,  the  Bible,  to  the  white  man  over  the  great  waters.  He 
took  it  and  read  it,  and  it  made  his  heart  all  over  very  glad. 
By  and  by  white  man  came  over  to  this  country  and 
brought  the  good  book  with  him.  He  gave  it  to  poor  Indian. 
He  hear  it  and  understand  it,  and  it  make  his  heart  very  glad 
too.  But  when  the  Great  Spirit  gave  his  good  book  to  the 
white  man  the  evil  spirit,  the  Muche-Maneto,  try  to  make 


198  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

a  book,  too,  and  he  try  to  make  it  like  the  Good  Spirit  made 
his,  but  he  could  not,  and  then  he  got  so  ashamed  of  it  that 
he  go  in  the  woods  and  dig  a  hole  in  the  ground,  and  there 
he  hide  his  book.  After  lying  there  for  many  winters,  Joe 
Smith  go  and  dig  it  up.  This  is  the  book  this  preacher  has 
been  talking  about.  I  hold  fast  to  the  good  old  Bible,  which 
has  made  my  heart  so  happy.  I  will  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  devil's  book." 

This  quaint  speech  ended  that  Mormon's  career  in  that 
neighborhood.  Would  that  in  other  lands  and  places  there 
had  risen  up  true  men  like  this  brave  John  Sunday  to  silence 
and  stamp  out  the  pestilent  impostors  who  have  done  so  much 
evil  on  this  American  continent. 

At  a  great  missionary  meeting  held  in  the  old  Adelaide 
Street  Church,  Toronto,  among  the  speakers  on  the  platform 
with  John  Sunday  was  a  doctor  of  divinity,  who  had,  on  this 
his  first  public  appearance  after  getting  his  I).  D.,  to  receive 
a  good  deal  of  friendly  banter  from  his  brethren,  especially 
as  the  recipient  of  the  honor  had  never  had  other  than  an 
exceedingly  limited  education.  John  Sunday  listened  to  all 
that  was  said  in  his  quiet  way,  and  when  called  on  to  speak 
convulsed  the  audience  by  saying  in  his  own  droll  way,  "Mr. 
Chairman,  I  never  went  to  school  but  two  weeks  in  my  life. 
If  I  had  gone  four  weeks  I  would  have  had  D.  D.  too." 
When  the  laughter  had  subsided  he  gave  a  most  admirable 
address,  appealing  to  the  vast  audience  for  his  poor  Indian 
brethren  in  their  wretched  wigwams.  His  closing  sentences 
of  appeal  for  financial  help  were  characteristically  quaint 
and  original.  Here  are  his  words  : 

"  There  is  a  gentleman  I  suppose  now  in  this  house.  He 
is  a  very  fine  gentleman,  but  he  is  very,  very  modest.  He  does 
not  like  to  show  himself.  I  do  not  know  how  long  it  is  now 
since  I  saw  him,  he  comes  out  so  little.  I  am  very  much  afraid 
he  sleeps  a  great  deal  of  his  time  when  he  ought  to  be  going 
about  doing  good.  His  name  is  Mr.  Gold.  Mr.  Gold,  are 
you  here  to-night  ?  or  are  you  sleeping  in  your  iron  chest  ? 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  199 

Come  out,  Mr.  Gold !  Come  out  and  help  us,  to  do  this  great 
work  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  Ah,  Mr.  Gold, 
you  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourself  to  sleep  so  much  in  your 
iron  chest !  Look  at  your  white  brother,  Mr.  Silver;  he  does 
a  great  deal  of  good  in  the  world  while  you  are  sleeping. 
Come  out,  Mr.  Gold,  from  your  iron  chest  and  fly  around  like 
your  active  brother,  Mr.  Silver.  And  then,  Mr.  Gold,  just 
think  of  your  active  little  brother,  Mr.  Copper.  Why,  he  is 
^very-where.  He  is  flying  about  doing  all  the  good  he  can. 
13e  active,  like  him!  Come  out,  Mr.  Gold  !  Do  come  and  help 
us  in  this  good  work,  and  if  you  really  cannot  come  your 
self,  well,  do  the  next  best  thing  you  can — that  is,  send  us 
your  shirt,  that  is,  a  bank-note." 

THICKFOOT'S  IDEA  OF  SIN. 

On  the  shores  of  Lake  Winnipeg  we  had  a  comical  old  chief 
by  the  name  of  Thickfoot.  He  had  such  a  dry,  humorous  way 
about  him,  and  such  skill  in  getting  a  laugh  out  of  the  most 
serious  conversation,  that  while  I  ceased  not  to  have  a  great 
interest  in  him,  and  neglected  no  opportunity  of  trying  to 
benefit  him,  I  confess  I  had  lost  confidence  in  my  persuasive 
powers  over  him.  One  winter,  when  traveling  with  my  dog- 
trains  in  company  with  a  brother-missionary,  we  stopped  for 
the  night  at  Thickfoot's  village.  He  welcomed  us  courteously 
and  invited  us  to  spend  the  night  in  his  wigwam,  which  he 
knew,  of  course, would  mean  a  liberal  supply  of  tea  and  tobacco 
to  himself.  We  gladly  accepted  his  offer,  and,  as  was  always 
our  custom,  had  him  invite  in  as  many  Indians  as  his  wigwam 
would  hold  to  an  evening  service.  We  had  a  very  pleasant 
evening,  and  all  seemed  much  interested  in  the  service,  even 
old  Thickfoot  himself.  After  the  audience  had  dispersed  I 
quietly  asked  my  brother-missionary  to  tackle  the  old  chief 
about  his  belief  and  urge  him  to  renounce  his  paganism  and 
become  a  Christian.  My  zealous  brother  was  always  ready 
for  this  congenial  work,  and  when  there  was  a  suitable  oppor 
tunity  immediately  began.  Very  interesting  was  the  conver- 
16 


200  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

sation,  and  Thickfoot  by  his  candor  and  straightforward 
answers  made  me  think  that  at  length  something  was  going 
to  be  made  out  of  him.  My  brother-missionary  became  much 
interested  and  encouraged.  At  length  the  conversation  turned 
to  the  subject  of  sin  and  its  consequences  if  unforgiven. 
Thickfoot  seemed  to  be  absorbed  in  the  subject. 

"  Have  you  not  felt  yourself  to  be  a  great  sinner,  Thick- 
foot  ? "  asked  the  missionary.  "  Do  there  not  come  times 
to  you  when  you  feel  full  of  remorse  and  sorrow  for  some 
of  the  great  sins  and  crimes  of  which  you  have  been  guilty, 
and  for  which  your  conscience  tells  you  you  ought  to  seek 
for  pardon  and  forgiveness  ?  " 

The  chief,  whose  face  was  grave  and  devout,  took  his  calu 
met  from  his  mouth,  looked  up  in  the  face  of  the  mission 
ary,  and  replied,  "  O,  yes,  I  feel  that  I  am  a  great  sinner." 

"Ah,"  replied  the  missionary,  "  I  thought  you  must  feel 
this  way  and  at  times  mourn  over  your  past  conduct." 

"  Yes,"  said  Thickfoot,  "  and  there  is  one  great  sin  that 
rises  up  before  me  like  the  bold,  high  cliff,  and  over  it  I  often 
mourn." 

"If  it  is  not  asking  too  much,"  said  the  exultant  mission 
ary,  "  I  should  so  like  to  have  you  tell  me  what  that  great 
crime  is  that  you  so  mourn  over." 

"  Well,"  said  Thickfoot,  while  his  face  was  as  grave  as  the 
Sphinx,  "  long  years  ago  I  and  my  people  were  fighting  against 
the  Sioux.  I  had  plenty  of  ammunition,  and  I  found  myself 
fighting  against  six  who  were  out  of  powder.  I  only  killed 
two  of  them  when  I  might  have  killed  them  all.  In  a  weak 
moment  my  heart  said  it  is  unmanly  to  kill  unarmed  men, 
and  so  I  let  the  rest  escape.  It  was  a  great  sin  that  I  did  so, 
and  I  have  never  forgiven  myself  for  having  been  such  a  great 
sinner.  O,  yes,"  he  added,  "  I  am  a  great  sinner  for  so  acting, 
and  need  forgiveness." 

This  answer  quite  discouraged  my  good  brother.  But 
Thickfoot  has  since  accepted  the  truth,  and  has  become  a 
good,  earnest  Christian. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  201 

AN  INDIAN'S  SHREWDNESS. 

One  cold,  wintry  day  an  Indian  basket-maker  with  a  couple 
of  large  baskets  called  at  the  house  of  a  Canadian  farmer 
and  tried  to  sell  him  one  of  them.  Not  succeeding,  for  the 
farmer  had  a  notorious  character  for  miserliness,  the  Indian, 
knowing  he  had  abundance  of  cider,  asked  for  a  glass  to  warm 
him  that  cold  day.  This  the  farmer  refused,  but  while  the 
Indian  was  gathering  up  his  baskets  he  jocularly  added,  "For 
one  of  your  baskets  I  will  give  you  all  the  cider  you  can 
carry  away  in  the  other." 

The  Indian  gravely  handed  him  one  of  them  and,  taking 
up  the  other,  went  out  to  where  a  spring  of  water  bubbled 
up  out  of  the  earth.  In  this  he  dipped  his  basket,  and 
then,  taking  it  out,  waited  patiently  until  the  severe  frost — 
for  the  temperature  of  the  air  was  many  degrees  below  freez 
ing — had  changed  the  water  into  ice.  Again  and  again  he 
repeated  the  process  until  the  basket  was  entirely  covered 
with  an  icy  coat  which  completely  filled  up  all  the  inter 
stices  between  the  pieces  of  thin  ash-wood  of  which  the  bas 
ket  was  made.  Then  going  to  the  farmer  he  demanded  the 
fulfilment  of  his  promise,  and  so  kept  him  to  it  that  he  went 
away  with  several  gallons  of  the  coveted  liquid. 


A  good  deal  of  common  sense  is  to  be  found  in  the  follow 
ing  reply  which  was  sent  by  an  Indian  to  an  angry  white 
man  who  had  challenged  him  to  fight  a  duel  with  him  : 

"  I  have  two  objections  to  this  duel  affair.  One  is  lest  £ 
should  hurt  you,  and  the  other  is  lest  you  should  hurt  me.. 
I  do  not  see  any  good  that  it  would  do  me  to  put  a  bullet 
through  your  body.  I  could  not  make  any  use  of  you  when- 
dead,  but  I  could  of  a  rabbit  or  turkey.  As  to  myself,  I  think 
it  more  wise  to  avoid  than  put  myself  in  the  way  of  harm.  I 
am  under  apprehension  that  you  might  hit  me.  That  being 
the  case,  I  think  it  advisable  to  keep  my  distance.  If  you 


202  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

want  to  try  your  pistols,  take  some  object,  say  a  tree  or  any 
thing  about  my  size,  and  if  you  hit  that  send  me  word  and  I 
shall  acknowledge  that  if  I  had  been  there  you  might  have 
hit  me." 

DOUBLE-HANDED    JUSTICE. 

At  one  of  our  Indian  villages  where  the  old  habits  and  cus 
toms  are  rapidly  giving  place  to  the  new  order  of  things  the 
people  resolved  to  so  far  imitate  the  whites  as  to  have  a 
magistrate  of  their  own.  They  resolved  that  no  longer  would 
they  settle  their  disputes  at  their  council-fire,  but  would  adopt 
the  white  man's  mode  of  procedure.  So  a  big  Indian  ac 
cepted  the  situation  and  went  in  several  hundreds  of  miles  to 
see  the  governor  of  the  young  Province  of  Manitoba  and  to 
get  his  commission.  After  an  absence  of  several  wreeks  he 
returned  much  pleased  with  his  reception  by  the  governor 
and  full  of  the  importance  of  his  new  office.  He  was  anxious 
for  something  to  do  in  his  official  capacity,  but  the  people 
were  so  honest  and  peaceful  that  weeks  passed  away  ere  he 
had  anything  to  demand  official  action.  One  day,  however, 
there  came  to  him  a  man  who  had  a  formal  complaint  to 
make.  His  story  was  that,  having  been  out  in  the  woods 
several  hundred  yards  back  of  his  own  house  cutting  wood, 
when  night  came  down  he  left  his  ax  where  he  had  been  at 
work  leaning  against  a  log  near  the  trail,  and  when  he  re 
turned  in  the  morning  it  was  not  there.  Somebody  had  most 
assuredly  stolen  his  ax.  His  story  very  much  interested  tfie 
magistrate,  who  saw  at  once  that  here  was  something  calling 
for  the  exercise  of  his  official  duties.  But  of  course  the  first 
thing  was  to  find  out  who  was  the  thief  who  had  taken  the  ax. 
Said  the  magistrate  to  the  young  man,  "  You  get  the  old 
women  of  the  village  to  keep  their  eyes  open  and  look 
around,  and  it  is  likely  they  will  soon  find  who  has  your 
ax.  Just  as  soon  as  it  is  known  come  and  let  me  know." 

Sure  enough,  in  a  short  time  it  became  known  that  a  young 
man  had  possession  of  the  lost  ax.  The  magistrate  sent  some 


AND  NORTHERN  GAMP-FIRES.  203 

of  his  young  braves  after  the  transgressor,  and  he  was 
brought  without  much  ceremony  into  the  presence  of  the 
official  magnate. 

The  court  opened  with  much  mock  dignity,  and  the  of 
fender  was  asked  what  defense  he  had  to  make  for  having 
in  his  possession  another  man's  ax.  He  stated  briefly  that, 
having  been  out  hunting  for  several  days  in  the  forest,  he 
was  returning  home  to  the  village,  and  coming  along  the 
trail  he  noticed  the  ax  there  beside  the  path,  leaning  up 
against  a  log,  and  so,  without  being  thoroughly  conscious  of 
what  he  was  doing,  he  picked  it  up  and  put  it  on  his  shoul 
der  and  carried  it  home.  He  supposed  he  should  not  have 
touched  it. 

After  the  magistrate  had  listened  to  his  story  he  called  up 
the  owner  of  the  ax  and  questioned  him.  First  he  said, 
"Did  you  say  that  you  left  your  ax  leaning  against  a  log 
near  the  trail?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  owner. 

"And  that  you  did  not  cover  it  over  with  snow  or  hide  it 
in  the  branches  of  the  balsam-tree,  or  put  it  out  of  sight  in 
some  way  ?  "  said  the  magistrate. 

"  No,  I  did  not  put  it  out  of  sight ;  I  just  left  it  as  I  told 
you,"  the  man  replied. 

"  You  did  ! "  said  the  magistrate  with  a  growl  of  disap 
proval,  which  meant  somebody  was  going  to  get  hurt. 

After  asking  a  few  more  questions  of  both  parties  he  very 
deliberately  gave  his  decision,  which  was  as  follows : 

"  I  fine  the  man  who  stole  the  ax  five  dollars.  He  knew  it 
was  not  his  and  that  he  had  no  right  to  take  it."  Then 
turning  to  the  owner  of  the  ax  he  said,  "  I  will  also  fine  you 
five  dollars,  too,  for  putting  temptation  in  the  man's  way. 
You  ought  to  have  either  brought  your  ax  home  with  you 
when  your  day's  work  was  done  or  else  to  have  so  hid  it  out 
of  sight  that  no  one  would  have  been  tempted  to  take  it." 

This  punishing  both  plaintiff  and  defendant  showed  his 
practical,  common-sense  character,  but  it  made  the  people  so 


204  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

shy  of  his  administration  that  up  to  the  time  I  last  heard  of 
him  he  had  had  no  additional  case. 

THE    QUEER    VERDICT. 

This  willingness  to  give  up  the  old  tradition  and  customs 
and  ado  as  the  whites  do"  had  another  very  amusing  illus 
tration  years  ago  in  a  tribe  that  was  located  near  to  a  white 
settlement.  One  of  their  number,  a  poor  slave  to  drink,  had 
been  found  frozen  to  death.  At  first  the  Indians  were  perplexed 
as  to  what  ought  to  be  done.  Some  of  them,  however,  had 
learned  about  the  white  people  holding  <;  inquests  "  over  un 
fortunates  who  had  perished  in  this  or  other  ways,  and  so 
they  resolved  to  do  the  same  in  this  case.  So  a  jury  was 
called,  and  after  hearing  all  the  evidence  they,  after  gravely 
consulting  together,  brought  in  the  verdict  that  "the  deceased 
came  to  his  death  from  the  freezing  of  a  great  quantity  of 
water  inside  of  him,  which  they  were  of  the  opinion  he  had 
drunk  for  rum." 

I  have  sometimes  wondered  whether  it  was  humor  or 
conscientiousness  that  made  the  man  feel  that  he  dare  no 
longer  bear  a  name  which  now  was  not  all  the  truth,  and 
caused  the  Indian,  whose  name  literally  meant  Man-afraid- 
of -nothing,  shortly  after  his  marriage  to  a  wife  with  a  bit 
of  a  temper,  to  petition  the  council  to  allow  him  to  have  his 
name  changed. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  205 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

INDIAN      ORATORY THE      GIFT     HIGHLY     PRIZED     AND      CULTI 
VATED ADMIRED  BY  EMINENT  WRITERS CHARLEVOIX'S 

OPINION — DR.  PUNSHON'S  TESTIMONY  TO  SALASSALTON — 
SPECIMENS  GATHERED  FROM  VARIOUS  SOURCES — LOGAN'S 

SPEECH TECUMSEIl's  CHARACTER    AND  ADDRESSES HIS 

HAUGHTY  REPLY  TO  GENERAL  HARRISON ORATIONS  AT 

PEACE  COUNCILS HIGHEST  STYLE    OF    ORATORY  AMONG 

THEM PATHETIC     WORDS      OF      PUSH-MA-TA-HA SIMMO's 

BEAUTIFUL    ADDRESS A     CHIEF'S    SPEECH    AT    THE   CERE 
MONY     OF    THE     BURIAL    OF  THE     TOMAHAWK WEATHER- 

FORD'S     ELOQUENT     AND     BRAVE     ADDRESS     TO     GENERAL 

JACKSON THE      ANNIHILATION     OF     SUCH     A     PEOPLE     TO 

BE    REGRETTED. 

pONSIDERING-  from  the  civilized  stand-point  the  Indi- 
VJ  ans'  lack  of  educational  advantages,  they  are  gifted 
with  an  ability  to  utter  their  sentiments  and  views  in  their 
public  gatherings  or  around  their  council-fires  in  a  more 
elevated  and  impressive  style  and  with  greater  force  and 
flexibility  than  is  possessed  by  any  other  uncivilized  people. 
The  talent  for  public  speaking  or  the  gift  of  oratory  has  ever 
been  prized  and  cultivated  among  them.  The  interested 
student  in  these  things  has  often  been  surprised  by  the  lofty 
style  of  their  thoughts  and  their  capacity  to  rise  above  mere 
individual  or  tribal  selfishness  and  give  expression  to  senti 
ments  as  sublime  and  comprehensive  as  any  that  live  in  the 
tradition  or  records  of  any  uncivilized  people.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that  some  of  the  best  specimens  of  their  oratory  are 
now  only  remembered  in  tradition.  Under  the  most  favor 
able  conditions  it  is  difficult  for  interpreters  to  grasp  and 
correctly  follow  some  of  their  lofty  flights  and  their  sustained 
and  often  complicated  expressions  when  delivering  some  of 


206  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

their  finest  orations.  That  a  people  untaught  in  the  schools 
and  so  depressed  and  harassed  by  dissension  within  and  wars 
without  should  in  such  a  marked  degree  be  so  gifted  is  indeed 
both  surprising  and  interesting.  These  oratorical  gifts  at 
tracted  the  attention  of  the  early  writers  on  the  American 
continent.  From  only  one  among  a  great  many  need  we 
here  quote.  Charlevoix  says  : 

"  The  beauty  of  their  imagination  equals  its  vivacity,  which 
appears  in  all  their  discourses.  They  are  very  quick  at  rep 
artee,  and  their  harangues  are  full  of  shining  passages  which 
would  have  been  applauded  at  Rome  or  Athens.  Their  elo 
quence  has  a  strength,  depth,  and  pathos  which  no  art  can 
give  and  which  the  Greeks .  so  much  admired  in  the  barba 
rians." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Punshon,  himself  one  of  England's  greatest 
orators,  after  listening  to  a  speech  of  Salassalton,  an  Indian 
in  British  Columbia,  said:  "I  have  heard  all  the  best  orators 
in  Europe  and  America,  but  a  more  perfect  oration  than  that 
of  this  uncultured  Indian  I  never  heard  in  my  life." 

We  have  thought  it  best  to  gather  up  some  of  the  authentic 
reports  of  some  of  these  Indian  orations  that  have  been  pre 
served.  They  are  at  best  but  fragments,  but  in  them  are 
golden  nuggets  of  truth  as  well  as  evidences  of  true  oratory. 

Logan's  speech  is  perhaps  most  widely  known.  He  was  a 
Mingo  chief,  and  like  many  others  had  been  treacherously  and 
cruelly  dealt  with.  Crushed  down  by  his  disasters,  he  had 
retired  to  his  cabin  and  refused  to  respond  to  the  summons 
of  Lord  Dunmore,  the  governor,  that  he  should  come  to  the 
place  appointed  for  the  making  of  a  treaty.  So  important  a 
personage  as  Logan  could  not  be  overlooked,  arid  so  a  special 
deputation  was  sent  to  him  urging  his  attendance  at  the 
council.  Although  still  refusing  to  go,  he,  however,  con 
sented  to  address  the  deputation.  After  referring  to  the 
butchery  of  all  his  relatives,  he  pronounced  this  remarkable 
speech  : 

"I  appeal  to  any  white  to  say  if  ever  he  entered  Logan's 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  207 

cabin  hungry  and  he  gave  him  no  meat;  if  ever  he  came  cold 
and  naked,  and  he  clothed  him  not. 

"  During  the  course  of  the  last  long  bloody  war  Logan  re 
mained  idle  in  his  cabin  an  advocate  for  peace.  Such  was 
my  love  for  the  whites  that  my  countrymen  pointed  as  they 
passed  and  said,  'Logan  is  the  friend  of  the  white  man! ' 

"  I  had  even  thought  to  have  lived  with  you,  but  for  the 
injuries  of  one  man,  Colonel  Cresass,  who  last  spring  in  cold 
blood,  and  unprovoked,  murdered  all  the  relatives  of  Logan, 
not  even  sparing  my  women  and  children. 

u  There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins  of  any  liv 
ing  creature.  This  calls  on  me  for  revenge.  I  have  sought 
it,  I  have  killed  many,  I  have  fully  glutted  my  revenge.  For 
my  country  I  rejoice  at  the  beams  of  peace.  But  do  not 
harbor  a  thought  that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear.  Logan  never 
felt  fear.  He  will  not  turn  on  his  heel  to  save  his  life.  Who 
is  there  to  mourn  for  Logan  ?  Not  one  !  " 

Tecumseh  was  one  of  the  greatest  Indian  warriors  as  well 
as  an  eloquent  orator.  He  devised  a  great  scheme,  worthy 
of  Napoleon,  which  was  to  unite  all  the  Indian  tribes  into 
one  great  confederacy,  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  great 
lakes.  They  were  to  unite  their  forces  in  an  army  that 
Avould  be  able  to  meet  and  drive  back  the  white  people,  who 
were  continually  advancing  on  the  Indian  tribes  and  forcing 
them  westward  toward  the  Rocky  Mountains.  This  great 
scheme  was  maturing  with  marvelous  rapidity  when  the 
premature  death  of  Tecumseh  put  a  sudden  end  to  it. 

Of  his  great  orations  but  little  that  is  reliable  has  been 
preserved.  The  following  is  his  indignant  address  when  he 
met  General  Harrison  to  discuss  the  sale  of  some  land 
which  had  been  made  by  some  of  the  tribe  in  the  absence 
of  Tecumseh,  and  at  which  he  was  justly  indignant  and 
displeased : 

"  It  is  true  I  am  a  Shawnee.  My  forefathers  were  warriors. 
Their  son  is  a  warrior.  From  them  I  take  only  my  existence; 
from  my  tribe  I  take  nothing.  I  am  the  maker  of  my  own 


208  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

fortune;  and  O  that  I  could  make  that  of  my  red  people  and 
of -my  country  as  great  as  the  conceptions  of  my  mind  when 
I  think  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  rules  the  universe  !  I  would 
not  then  come  to  General  Harrison  to  ask  him  to  tear  the 
treaty  and  to  obliterate  the  land-mark.  But  I  would  say  to 
him,  Sir,  you  have  liberty  to  return  to  your  own  country. 
The  voice  within  me,  communing  with  past  ages,  tells  me  that 
once,  nor  until  lately,  there  wras  no  white  man  on  this  con 
tinent  ;  that  it  then  all  belonged  to  the  red  man,  children 
of  the  same  parents,  placed  on  it  by  the  Great  Spirit  that 
made  them  to  keep  it,  to  traverse  it,  to  enjoy  its  productions 
and  to  fill  it  with  the  same  race — once  a  happy  race,  but 
since  made  miserable  by  the  white  people,  who  are  never  con 
tented  but  are  always  encroaching. 

"  The  way  and  the  only  way  to  check  and  stop  this  evil  is  for 
all  the  red  men  to  unite  in  claiming  a  common  and  equal  right 
in  the  land,  as  it  was  at  first  and  should  be  yet;  for  it  was 
the  gift  of  the  Great  Spirit  to  us  all,  and  never  was  divided, 
and  therefore  by  the  few  could  not  be  ceded  away  forever. 
Backward  have  the  Americans  driven  us  from  the  sea-coast, 
and  on  toward  the  lakes  are  we  being  forced;  but  now  we 
will  yield  no  further,  but  here  make  our  stand." 

Vain  indeed  were  all  the  efforts  of  the  governor  to  get  this 
truly  patriotic  chief  to  consent  to  the  ceding  of  his  domains 
to  the  whites.  When  asked  if  he  was  resolved  to  make  war 
if  his  terms  were  not  complied  writh  he  bravely  replied,  "It 
is  my  determination,  nor  will  I  give  rest  to  my  feet  until  I 
have  united  all  the  red  men  in  this  determination."  Then 
began  on  his  part  those  extraordinary  and  resolute  exertions 
to  unite  all  the  tribes  west  of  the  Mississippi  as  well  as  those 
around  Lake  Superior  in  one  great  confederacy  against  the 
whites.  No  romance  ever  abounded  in  more  startling  ad 
ventures  than  were  his,  but  his  death  at  the  battle  of  Mora- 
viantown,  on  the  Thames,  put  a  stop  to  all  his  great  schemes. 

The  following  incident  will  give  an  additional  insight  into 
the  character  of  this  remarkable  man.  At  one  of  the  rnanv 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  209 

meetings  held  with  the  white  commissioners  to  try  and  arrange 
a  peace,  after  Tecumseh  had  made  a  speech,  and  was  about 
to  seat  himself  in  a  chair,  he  observed  that  none  had  been 
placed  for  him.  One  was  immediately  ordered  for  him  by 
the  governor,  and  as  the  interpreter  handed  it  to  him  he  said, 
"  Your  father  requests  you  to  take  a  chair."  "  My  Father  !  " 
said  Tecumseh  with  great  indignation.  "  The  sun  is  my 
father,  and  the  earth  is  my  mother,  and  on  her  bosom  only 
will  I  repose,"  and  immediately  seated  himself  in  the  In 
dian  manner  on  the  ground. 

When  an  Indian  of  high  rank  died  embassies  were  fre 
quently  sent  from  even  distant  tribes  to  sympathize  with  the 
relatives.  The  message  of  condolence  was  delivered  with 
great  solemnity,  and  the  tears  were  said  to  be  wiped  away 
witli  the  acceptable  presents  which  were  brought.  With  the 
presentation  of  the  gift  the  mourners  were  often  addressed 
in  the  following  manner:  "  We  bury  the  remains  of  the 
deceased  and  cover  the  grave  with  bark,  that  neither  the 
dew  of  heaven  nor  rain  may  fall  upon  it.  We  wipe  off  the 
tears  from  your  eyes,  and  take  all  sorrow  from  your  heart. 
We  put  your  hearts  in  good  order  and  make  them  cheerful 
again." 

When  a  chief  was  in  mourning  he  attended  to  no  business, 
neither  was  his  advice  or  counsel  asked  in  reference  to  any  of 
the  affairs  of  state.  When  a  chief  of  great  repute  died  embas 
sies  of  the  tribes  with  whom  his  nation  was  at  peace  were 
sent  to  assure  his  mourning  people  that  they  shared  with 
them  in  this  great  loss.  Long  ago,  when  the  Cherokees  sent 
a  large  and  influential  embassy  to  the  Delawares  to  renew 
their  peace  alliance  with  them,  they  learned  ere  they  reached 
their  country  that  Ne-ta-wat-wees,  the  most  influential 
chief  of  the  Delawares,  was  dead.  The  embassadors  there 
fore  halted  about  two  miles  below  the  town  and  sent 
word  that  they  had  arrived  this  far.  The  next  day  some 
of  the  influential  captains  of  the  Delawares  went  down 
to  meet  these  Cherokees  and  bid  them  welcome.  Among 


210  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  \VAMS 

the  beautiful  things  they  said  to  them  on  this  occasion  were 
these : 

"  We  extract  the  thorns  from  your  feet  which  you  have  got 
on  the  journey.  We  take  away  the  sand  and  gravel  from  be 
tween  your  toes.  With  balsamic  oil  we  anoint  the  wounds 
and  bruises  made  by  the  briers  and  brushwood.  We  wipe 
the  sweat  from  your  weary  bodies,  the  dust  out  of  your  eyes, 
and  cleanse  your  ears,  throats,  and  hearts  from  all  evil  which 
you  have  seen  or  heard  by  the  way  or  which  has  entered 
into  your  hearts." 

On  the  conclusion  of  this  address  a  string  of  white  wam 
pum,  emblematical  of  peace  and  friendship,  having  been  de 
livered  in  confirmation  of  it,  the  captains  conducted  the  visit 
ing  embassadors  to  the  town.  On  entering  the  Cherokees 
saluted  the  inhabitants  by  firing  off  their  guns,  which  was 
answered  in  a  similar  manner  by  the  Delawares.  Then  the 
most  influential  member  of  the  visiting  embassy  began  a  song, 
during  which  they  were  conducted  to  the  council-room,  which 
was  elaborately  prepared  for  their  reception.  All  being 
seated,  the  first  embassador  of  the  Cherokees  expressed  his 
sorrow  at  the  death  of  the  Delaware  chief  and  the  share  he 
took  in  the  national  mourning.  lie  said:  "Tenderly  I  wrap 
up  his  remains  in  a  cloth;  T  bury  them  and  cover  his  grave 
with  bark  ;  I  wipe  the  tears  offthe  eyes  of  the  weeping  nation 
that  again  they  may  look  up  into  the  sunshine  ;  I  clear  their 
ears  of  the  sounds  of  mourning  and  their  throats  of  the  chok 
ing  sensation  of  grief,  and  I  take  away  all  sorrow  from  their 
hearts." 

In  confirmation  of  this  speech  a  string  of  wampuin  was  de 
livered  by  him  to  the  principal  chief.  The  calumet  was  then 
smoked,  after  which  there  was  a  feast.  On  the  following 
day  the  subject  of  the  embassy  was  taken  into  consideration. 

It  has  always  been  a  matter  of  surprise  and  admiration 
to  see  with  what  cleverness  and  power  these  wild  orators  can 
handle  their  different  languages,  which  are  so  poor  in  them 
selves.  Yet  so  vivid  and  varied  are  their  powers  that  their 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  211 

best  addresses  are  full  of  apt  illustrations,  of  elegant  phrases, 
of  poetic  beauty,  and  are  fraught  with  convincing  logic  and 
sound  sense. 

An  Indian  orator  when  speaking  on  some  great  occasion 
as  the  voice  of  his  tribe  is  one  of  the  highest  ideals  of  dig 
nity,  wisdom,  and  eloquence.  Untrarnmeled  by  any  of  the 
artificial  rules  of  the  schools  of  oratory,  but  with  Nature 
as  his  only  mistress  in  this  fascinating  art,  he  becomes  an 
apt  student.  To  his  susceptible,  sensitive  soul  she  is  ever 
an  open  book.  From  her  he  derives  his  beautiful  pictures  and 
choicest  illustrations.  In  all  her  varying  moods  he  enters, 
and  so  he  can  speak  in  the  sweet,  soft  notes  of  her  zephyr 
breeze  or  thunder  out  in  tones  that  are  not  unlike  her  wildest 
storms.  Gifted  with  intelligence  and  good  judgment,  pos 
sessing  memories  that  in  many  instances  are  perfectly  marvel 
ous,  and  cultivating  all  his  gifts  in  the  most  natural  and 
effective  school,  he  becomes  possessed  with  an  energy  and 
fluency  of  expression,  as  well  as  a  power  of  imagery,  some 
times  so  exquisitely  delicate  and  then  of  such  soaring  sub 
limity  that  he  is  able  to  rival  the  finest  efforts  of  an  ancient 
or  modern  orator. 

Very  impressive  and  never  to  be  forgotten  are  the  scenes 
and  incidents  of  an  Indian  council-room  when  some  sub 
ject  of  deep  and  exciting  interest  is  being  discussed.  The 
sacred  fire  is  burning  in  its  place,  the  chiefs  and  warriors  are 
ranged  according  to  precedence,  the  calumet,  or  pipe  of  peace, 
is  being  gravely  smoked,  and  an  air  of  quiet  dignity  and  de 
corum  prevails.  Speech  follows  speech  in  quick  succession, 
but  there  is  never  any  interruption  or  contradiction.  Every 
man,  no  matter  how  divergent  or  peculiar  may  be  his  views,  is 
allowed  to  give  them  without  being  molested.  But  now  the 
orator  of  the  tribe  is  rising  to  speak,  and  there  is  a  hush  of  the 
most  intense  interest.  He  is  a  battle-scarred  veteran,  with  all 
his  wounds  in  front,  every  one  of  which  has  its  exciting  story 
and  gives  him  additional  influence  over  the  people.  He  seems 
to  impress  us  as  he  begins.  The  dignified  stature,  the  quiet, 


212  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

easy  repose  of  limb,  the  graceful  gesture,  the  dark,  ex 
pressive  eye  at  once  captivate  his  auditors.  Then,  as  he 
kindles  with  his  subject  and  the  genius  of  his  eloquence 
bursts  forth,  the  apparent  apathy  in  which  the  Indian 
generally  encases  himself  is  here  cast  aside,  and  we  see 
him  as  he  is  at  his  best,  natural,  legible,  human.  We  are 
captivated  by  his  eloquence.  His  gorgeous  and  apposite 
metaphors,  numerous  from  the  very  poverty  of  his  language, 
charm  us  by  their  quaintness  and  force.  We  listen  to  the 
story  of  his  complaints  and  hear  the  recital  of  his  people's 
wrongs  and  oppressions  by  the  pale-face  until  our  blood  boils 
and  our  hearts  get  hot  within  us,  even  if  we  are  of  the 
oppressor's  race.  He  conquers  us,  charms  us,  and  throws 
around  us  that  spell  of  fascinating  power  which  comes  so  sel 
dom  in  a  life-time,  and  then  only  under  the  spell  of  the  true 
orator.  Very  pathetic  as  well  as  felicitous  were  the  closing 
words  of  the  speech  of  the  aged  Push-ma-ta-ha,  a  venerable 
chief  of  a  distant  tribe,  who  traveled  many  hundreds  of  miles 
to  attend  a  council  where  he  strongly  and  eloquently  pleaded 
for  a  lasting  peace.  In  alluding  to  his  great  age  and  to  the 
probability  that  he  might  not  live  to  complete  the  long  and 
arduous  journey  back  to  his  own  tribe  he  said  : 

"  My  children  will  walk  through  the  forest  and  the  Great 
Spirit's  voice  will  be  heard  in  the  tree-tops.  The  flowers 
will  spring  up  in  the  hunters'  trail,  and  the  birds  will  sing  in 
the  branches,  but  Push-ma-ta-ha  will  hear  them  not,  neither 
will  he  see  the  flowers  any  more.  He  will  be  gone,  his  spirit 
will  have  fled.  Then  when  he  returns  not  his  people  will 
know  that  he  is  not  among  the  living — that  he  is  dead.  The 
news  will  come  to  their  ears  as  the  sound  of  the  fall  of  a 
mighty  oak  in  the  stillness  of  the  woods." 

Where  can  we  find  any  thing  more  beautiful  than  this  com 
mencement  of  a  speech  made  by  a  chief  called  Simmo,  to 
the  English  governor,  Dudley,  who  had  sent  for  the  Indians 
to  come  and  conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  with  him  during  the 
early  French  war  ?  He  said: 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  213 

"  We  thank  you,  good  brother,  for  having  come  so  far  to 
speak  with  us.  It  is  a  great  favor.  The  clouds  are  hovering 
in  the  air  and  are  becoming  dark;  but  still  we  sing  with  love 
the  songs  of  peace.  Believe  my  words,  as  far  as  the  sun  is 
from  the  earth  so  far  are  my  thoughts  from  war  and  even 
from  the  slightest  rupture  between  us." 

Some  of  their  finest  addresses,  like  that  of  Simmo's,  were 
at  the  ceremonious  councils  where  peace  was  made,  often  after 
long  and  bloody  wars.  A  good  deal  of  preliminary  negotia 
tion  was  often  necessary  before  the  opposing  parties  met  for 
the  closing  ceremonies.  The  final  embassy  of  peace  generally 
consisted  of  several  of  their  most  influential  chiefs,  including 
the  best  orators  among  them.  They  carried  the  calumet, 
or  pipe  of  peace,  which  was  generally  elaborately  carved  out 
of  the  famous  red  sandstone  and  fitted  with  a  handsome 
stem  often  over  four  feet  long,  and  also  beautifully  carved 
and  decorated.  So  great  is  the  respect  which  is  ever  associ 
ated  with  the  calumet  of  peace  and  its  bearers  that  any  insult 
offered  to  them  while  on  the  message  of  peace,  even  if  pass 
ing  through  a  hostile  country,  is  denounced  as  the  most 
serious  of  crimes,  which  will  most  certainly  and  swiftly  be 
visited  by  the  abhorrence  and  vengeance  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

If  the  negotiations  are  successful  and  peace  is  concluded  a 
tomahawk  or  Indian  hatchet,  which  perhaps  had  been  the  in 
strument  in  the  murder  of  many,  is  made  sharp  and  glittering, 
and  then,  being  decorated  with  wampum  or  bright  ribbons,  is 
buried,  with  its  edge  down,  with  great  ceremony  and  speech- 
making.  Then  often  on  the  spot  where  it  is  buried  a  thrifty 
young  tree  is  planted.  The  following  is  a  good  specimen  of 
the  addresses  given  on  these  peace-making  occasions.  The 
reader  must  add  the  singularly  natural  and  yet  animated 
gestures  and  beautifully  modulated  voice  of  this  son  of  the 
forest.  It  is  the  address  of  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  confed 
eracy  of  tribes  which  were  called  the  Five  Nations,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  making  of  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Brit 
ain,  which  was  long  maintained: 


214  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"  We  are  happy  in  having  buried  under  ground  the  red  ax 
that  lias  so  often  been  dyed  with  the  blood  of  our  brethren. 
Now  in  this  spot  we  inter  the  ax  and  plant  the  tree  of  peace. 
We  plant  the  tree  whose  top  will  reach  high  up  into  the  sun 
light,  and  its  branches  will  soon  spread  abroad,  that  it  shall  be 
seen  afar  off.  May  its  growth  never  be  stifled  and  choked, 
but  may  it  continue  to  flourish  until  it  shades  both  your 
country  and  ours  with  its  leaves.  Let  us  make  fast  its  roots 
and  extend  them  to  the  utmost  of  your  settlements.  If 
enemies  should  come  to  shake  this  tree  we  would  know  it  by 
the  motion  of  its  roots  reaching  into  your  country.  May  the 
frreat  Spirit  allow  us  to  rest  in  tranquillity  upon  our  mats 
beneath  its  shade,  and  never  again  may  the  ax  be  dug  up  to 
cut  down  this  tree  of  peace.  Let  the  earth  be  trod  hard  over 
this  ax  which  we  have  buried  on  its  edge,  so  that  if  ever  it 
moves  it  may  only  sink  down  the  deeper.  Let  a  strong 
stream  like  that  which  rushes  by  wash  the  evil  thoughts  and 
deeds  of  war  out  of  our  sight  and  remembrance.  The  war- 
fire  that  has  so  long  burned  is  now  extinguished.  The  bloody 
bed  on  which  our  wounded  tossed,  breathing  vengeance,  is 
now  washed  clean  as  are  their  hearts,  and  the  tears  are  wiped 
from  their  eyes.  Brothers,  we  now  renew  the  covenant 
chain  of  friendship.  Let  it  be  kept  bright  and  clean  as  silver, 
and  never  again  may  its  beauty  be  tarnished  by  contact  with 
any  rust.  As  now  it  unites  us  in  the  bonds  of  friendship 
may  not  any  one  pull  away  his  arms  from  it." 

Weatherford  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  chiefs  of  the 
Creek  tribe.  He  defeated  the  American  troops  in  several 
pitched  battles  and  was  the  leader  on  the  attack  on  Fort 
Mimms,  where  nearly  all  the  white  soldiers  were  massacred. 
Some  time  after  the  Americans,  under  General  Jackson,  took 
a  terrible  revenge  upon  these  Indians,  and  the  majority  of 
the  Creeks  were  put  to  death  or  made  prisoners.  Wishing 
to  test  the  fidelity  of  some  of  the  surviving  chiefs  who  had 
made  their  submission,  General  Jackson  ordered  them  to 
bring  to  him  their  redoubtable  warrior,  Chief  Weatherford, 


AND  NORTHERN  GAMP-FIRES.  215 

bound  hand  and  foot.  When  these  chiefs  informed  him  of 
the  general's  demand  Weatherford,  to  save  himself  and  them 
from  such  a  humiliation,  at  once  resolved  on  presenting  him 
self  to  the  American  general.  The  latter  was  naturally  much 
surprised  when  the  Indian  warrior,  for  whose  head  a  price  had 
been  offered,  should  in  this  way  appear  before  him.  He  said: 
"I  am  Weatherford,  who  commanded  at  the  taking  of  Fort 
Minims,  and  who  wishes  for  peace  for  my  people.  I  come  to 
ask  for  it." 

On  hearing  this  bold  speech  Jackson  said :  "  I  am  surprised 
that  you  have  dared  to  appear  before  me  after  your  conduct, 
which  deserves  death;  and  if  you  had  been  brought  in  the 
way  I  had  ordered  I  know  how  I  would  have  treated  you." 

To  this  Waterford  bravely  replied:  "  I  am  in  your  power; 
do  with  me  whatever  you  please.  I  am  a  soldier.  I  have 
done  the  whites  all  the  harm  I  could.  I  fought  against  them, 
and  I  have  fought  bravely.  If  I  had  an  army  I  would  fight 
again;  I  would  fight  to  the  last;  but  I  have  one  no  longer. 
My  people  are  no  more.  I  can  only  weep  over  the  misfort 
unes  of  my  nation." 

General  Jackson  was  deeply  moved  by  this  chief's  coura 
geous  conduct  and  noble  address  in  this  hour  of  his  people's 
calamities.  So,  addressing  him  in  reply,  he  said  that  although 
he  had  him  in  his  power  he  would  take  no  advantage  of  it, 
and  that  he  allowed  him  to  choose  between  submission  with 
out  condition  or  liberty  with  war,  but  without  quarter  or 
pity.  In  response  to  these  hard  terms  the  brave  but  unfort 
unate  chief  replied  in  the  following  dignified  but  indignant 
words : 

"You  can  with  all  security  offer  me  such  conditions. 
There  was  a  time  when  I  could  have  answered  you  differ 
ently;  there  was  a  time  when  I  might  have  had  a  choice. 
Now  I  have  none.  I  have  even  no  hope.  Formerly  I  could 
encourage  my  warriors  to  combat ;  but  I  cannot  animate 
the  dead.  My  warriors  can  no  longer  hear  my  voice; 
their  bones  rest  at  Talladega,  Tellushatches,  Emuakpan,  and 
17 


216  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

Tohopekon.  I  have  not  given  myself  up  without  reflection. 
Whenever  I  had  the  slightest  chance  of  success  I  never 
quitted  my  post  nor  asked  for  peace.  But  my  people  are 
gone,  and  if  I  sue  for  peace  it  is  for  those  who  yet  live,  but 
not  for  myself.  I  look  upon  the  past  with  profound  sorrow, 
and  I  desire  to  avoid  greater  calamities.  Your  people  have 
destroyed  my  nation.  You  are  a  brave  man,  and  I  rely  on 
your  generosity.  You  will  only  demand  of  a  conquered  peo 
ple  such  terms  as  they  should  accede  to.  Whatever  they 
may  be  it  would  now  be  madness  and  folly  to  oppose  them. 
If  they  are  opposed  you  shall  find  me  among  the  sternest  en 
forcers  of  obedience.  Those  who  would  still  hold  out  can  be 
influenced  only  by  a  mean  spirit  of  revenge.  To  this  spirit 
they  must  not  and  shall  not  sacrifice  the  last  remnant  of  their 
country.  You  have  told  our  nation  that  they  might  go  with 
all  security,  no  matter  where,  and  be  safe.  This  is  good 
talk,  and  they  ought  to  listen  to  it.  They  must  listen  to  it. 
They  will  listen  to  it." 

Such  an  address  is  almost  above  all  criticism.  True  dig 
nity  and  a  lofty  spirit  of  resignation  under  his  nation's  mis 
fortunes  breathe  in  every  sentence  uttered  by  this  brave  but 
beaten  chief.  In  this  pathetic  address  we  get  a  good  idea 
of  Indian  eloquence,  and  where,  even  in  the  civilized  world, 
at  the  close  of  a  disastrous  campaign  can  we  find  the  van 
quished  addressing  their  conquerors  in  nobler  sentiments  or 
greater  elevation  of  thoughts  ? 

Weatherford  had  been  visited  by  Tecumseh,  and  had  en 
tered  heartily  into  his  great  design  of  forming  a  mighty  con 
federacy  against  the  ever-advancing  whites.  With  all  his 
Indian  impetuosity  and  bravery  did  he  fight,  but  the  forces 
against  him  were  irresistible,  and  under  them  he  went  down. 
But  what  a  pity  and  an  everlasting  disgrace  that  a  people 
who  could  produce  such  men  of  such  powers  should  not  have 
been  earlier  understood  and  more  honorably  dealt  with  by 
the  powerful  and  dominant  white  man! 

It  is  a  cause  of  thankfulness  that  there  is  now,  both  in 


AND  NORTPIERN  CAMP-FIRES.  217 

the  United  States  and  in  Canada,  a  disposition  to  deal  honor 
ably  with  the  Indians.  Unfortunately,  it  has  not  always 
been  so,  for  the  record  of  the  white  man's  conduct  toward 
these  red  men  has,  with  few  exceptions,  been  one  of  dishonor 
and  disgrace.  Treaties  have  been  made  and  solemnly  ratified 
with  the  most  emphatic  assertions  that  they  were  to  continue 
as  long  as  "  the  sun  would  shine  or  waters  run."  Yet,  just  as 
soon  as  the  selfish  interest  of  the  whites  seemed  to  call  for  their 
abrogation,  they  were  ignored  and  broken  without  the  slight* 
est  regard  for  the  interests  of  the  Indians  who  had  faithfully 
remained  true  to  their  promises.  Then  time  after  time  have 
peaceful  Indian  tribes  been  driven  violently  out  from  their 
homes  into  regions  that  they  knew  not  of.  And  it  is  also  a 
well-known  fact  that  tribes  after  having  been  placed  on 
reservations  by  the  government,  and  who  wTere  living  quiet, 
harmless  lives,  have,  because  the  dominant  race  has  looked 
with  greedy  eyes  upon  their  lands,  been,  without  their  con 
sent  being  asked,  or  adequate  compensation  granted,  forci 
bly  removed  hundreds  of  miles  farther  west. 

The  following  expressive  lines,  written  by  Mrs.  Catherine 
Walker,  are  not  only  applicable  to  the  case  of  the  tribe  for 
whom  she  wrote  them,  but  they  could  be  applied  to  many 
others,  some  of  whom  suffered  even  more  than  did  these. 
These  were  written  on  the  occasion  of  the  forcible  removal 
of  the  Wyandot  Indians  from  their  native  land  to  the  far 
western  Indian  Territory. 

"  INDIAN    WRONGS." 

"  Go,  fated  Indians,  to  the  farthest  verge 

Of  earth's  remotest  shore: 
There  let  the  night-bird  sing  thy  dirge 

When  thy  weary  wandering's  o'er. 

"  Go  sit  upon  the  ocean's  brink, 

And  in  its  solemn  moan, 
Fit  music  for  thy  broken  heart, 
Forget  thy  distant  home. 


218  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"  But  the  white  man's  foot  is  on  thy  track 
As  the  blood-hound  seeks  the  hare ; 

Then  arise  and  scale  some  barren  rock, 
For  the  white  man  will  not  spare. 

"  Go  dwell  upon  some  craggy  peak 
Where  the  eagle  makes  her  nest, 

And  eternal  snows  are  drifting  down — 
There  thy  weary  foot  may  rest. 

"  Away  from  where  thy  kindred  sleep, 
Beneath  a  frigid  sky, 

Where  the  wintry  blasts  will  freeze  thy  tears- 
There  lay  thee  down  and  die. 

1  Cast  not  a  look  to  thy  native  land, 

But  to  that  blissful  shore 
Where  oppression's  sigh  is  never  heard 

And  thou  shalt  weep  no  more." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  219 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

THE     MEDICINE-MEN,      OR     CONJURERS DESCRIPTION AMONG 

ALL  THE    TRIBES POWER    THEY    EXERCISE KNOWLEDGE 

OF  SOME  MEDICINES RELY  PRINCIPALLY  ON  THEIR  IMAG 
INARY  SUPERNATURAL  POWER  TO  RETAIN  THEIR  INFLU 
ENCE SHREWD  OBSERVERS  OF  NATURE RAIN-MAKERS • 

CHARMS GOOD    MEDICINE GENERAL     CUSTER TEST      OF 

SKILL    BETWEEN   RIVAL  MEDICINE-MEN JESUIT  PRIEST 

MOUNTAIN    SHEEP    KILLED     BY    THE    CONJURER'S    WORD 

WILD  GOOSE  KILLED  BY  MAGIC CONJURERS  BLACKMAIL 
ERS POWER  OF  SUPERSTITIONS FRIGHTENED  TO  DEATH 

SUCCESSFUL    CONJURER    AT    NORWAY    HOUSE FAILURE 

OF      A      BOASTFUL      MEDICINE-MAN NOT      INVULNERABLE 

AGAINST    FIRE      OR      BULLETS THE      RED-HOT  POKER     TOO 

MUCH   FOR  HIM SOME    OF    THEM  CONVERTED "  CALL  ME 

DANIEL." 

THE  medicine-men,  or  conjurers,  are  to  be  found  among  all 
the  Indian  tribes.  They  are  a  kind  of  priest,  doctor, 
and  charlatan  combined.  Many  of  them  have  a  fair  knowl 
edge  of  the  medicinal  properties  of  some  roots  and  herbs, 
and  are  skillful  in  managing  some  diseases  and  in  dressing 
wounds  ;  yet  they  rely  principally  upon  their  pretended  su 
pernatural  powers  to  overawe  their  dupes.  With  them  dis 
ease  is  only  a  tangible  evidence  of  the  presence  of  the  bad 
god,  whom  they  called  Muche-Maneto.  If  he  only  can  be 
exorcised  by  their  incantations  and  medicines,  health  will 
return,  and  greater  far  will  be  the  influence  and  power  of  the 
medicine-man  over  his  patient,  whom  he  ever  tries  to  con 
vince  that  it  was  his  supernatural  power  rather  than  the 
medicine  given  that  wrought  the  cure. 

They  profess  to  be  able  to  foretell  future  events  and  to 
explain   all  the  unusual  phenomena  that  may  occur.     They 


220  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

profess  to  be  under  the  guidance  of  their  familiar  spirits, 
from  whom  they  declare  they  often  receive  direct  communi 
cations.  Before  they  are  able  to  obtain  a  commanding  influ 
ence  over  the  people  they  have  to  pass  through  a  long  series 
of  rigorous  acts  of  self-mortification  and  suffering.  They 
must  submit  to  long  lasting,  and  among  some  tribes  to  per 
sonal  mutilation.  So  prolonged  and  intense  are  some  of  these 
ordeals  that  death  often  prematurely  intervenes.  In  many 
other  cases,  as  the  result  of  the  physical  pain  and  anguish, 
the  mind  becomes  partially  disordered,  and  the  medicine-men 
thus  acquire  additional  sacredness  and  influence  among  these 
very  superstitious  people.  Very  great  indeed  is  the  power 
which  many  of  these  medicine-men  exert  over  the  tribes. 
They  preside  over  all  the  religious  ceremonies,  and  have  a 
voice  and  vote  in  every  thing  that  goes  on. 

As  a  general  thing  the  amount  of  influence  they  have  over 
the  people  is  according  to  the  fear  or  terror  they  are  able  to 
inspire  in  the  minds  of  their  dupes.  Like  their  ancient  con 
geners,  they  pretend  to  observe  the  flight  of  birds,  the  move 
ments  of  the  clouds,  and  other  meteorological  phenomena, 
and  from  these  they  prognosticate  events  which  they  say 
will  happen.  They  give  great  attention  to  dreams,  and  are 
elated  and  pleased  at  what  they  consider  good  ones,  and  are 
correspondingly  depressed  at  what  are  called  bad  ones. 
They  are  very  cunning  and  cautious  in  the  display  of  their 
power,  as  they  well  know  that  frequent  failures  mean  the  less 
ening  of  their  influence  and  emoluments. 

Among  the  more  southern  tribes,  where  a  portion  of  the 
soil  was  cultivated,  the  conjurers  were  also  called  the  rain 
makers,  and  were  expected  to  keep  the  right  supply  on  hand 
for  use  when  required.  Loud  were  the  clamorings  of  the  peo 
ple,  and  often  dire  were  their  threatenings  if  a  long  drought 
seemed  likely  to  destroy  the  maize  or  burn  up  the  grass. 
To  the  importunate  pleading  of  the  people  for  rain  the  cun 
ning  impostor,  knowing  the  disastrous  effects  that  would  fol 
low  if  he  failed,  generally  delayed  the  public  commencement 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  221 

of  the  ceremony  until  a  change  in  the  atmosphere,  bringing 
up  the  black  clouds,  made  it  almost  a  certainty  that  his 
efforts  would  be  crowned  with  success.  When  his  sharp 
eyes  saw  indications  favorable  to  the  venture,  he  left  the  inte 
rior  of  his  lodge,  where  he  had  been  keeping  up  an  incessant 
drumming,  and,  armed  with  his  shield  and  bow  and  quiver 
of  arrows,  he  climbed  the  roof  of  the  sacred  medicine-lodge 
and  delivered  boastful  orations  to  the  people,  who  rapidly 
assembled  to  welcome  the  long-looked-for  rain,  which  he  was 
to  produce.  He  recounted  his  dreams,  which  indicated  that 
he  was  the  favorite  of  Heaven,  and  that  the  Good  Spirit  had 
made  his  arrows  so  powerful  that  they  would  pierce  the 
clouds  and  bring  down  the  refreshing  showers.  Keenly 
watching  the  gathering  clouds,  he  limited  or  prolonged  his 
oration  until  the  favorable  time  arrived.  Then,  when  the 
muttering  thunders  were  heard  and  the  big  drops  began  to 
fall,  with  all  his  strength  he  shot  his  arrows  into  the  clouds 
above  him.  If  the  refreshing  showers  really  did  fall  he  was 
the  hero  of  the  hour,  and  was  well  rewarded.  If  no  rain  or 
but  little  fell  he  was  overwhelmed  with  ridicule,  and  had  for 
the  time  being  to  hide  himself  from  the  people  as  a  dis 
credited  and  unrewarded  man,  as  among  those  tribes  the 
medicine-men  or  rain-makers  were  only  rewarded  in  propor 
tion  to  their  success. 

The  word  "  medicine  "  among  the  Indians  means  much 
more  than  is  generally  understood  by  it.  To  them  it  has  a 
much  deeper  meaning  than  mere  healing  remedies  or  curative 
practices.  While  there  were  those  who  had  devoted  all  their 
time  and  were  called  the  conjurers,  or  medicine-men,  yet 
every  body  was  supposed  to  have  his  good  or  bad  medicine. 
When  specially  fortunate  in  hunting  or  warfare  or  in  more 
quiet  duties  of  life  he  was  said  to  be  under  the  influence  of 
"good  medicine."  When  misfortune  overtook  him  in  any  of 
his  affairs  his  "  bad  medicine  "  was  said  to  be  the  cause.  A 
man  specially  fortunate  in  war,  and  one  who  had  escaped  the 
bullets  of  his  enemies,  was  under  the  influence  of  "  good 


222  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

medicine."  In  battle  one  so  noted  often  escaped  because,  his 
enemies  thinking  him  bullet-proof,  they  would  not  waste  their 
bullets  by  firing  at  him.  There  was  an  impression  among  the 
Sioux  that  General  Ouster  had  such  good  medicine  that  it 
was  foolishness  to  fire  at  him.  He  had  so  often  escaped  from 
their  bullets  that  he  was  almost  the  last  man  shot  in  the  dis 
astrous  battle  in  which  he  and  his  gallant  regiment  were  all 
cut  off.  Survivors  of  the  fight  informed  me  that  when  Cus- 
ter  dashed  upon  them  with  his  troops  he  had  his  bridle-reins 
in  his  teeth  and  a  revolver  in  each  hand.  With  unerring- 
accuracy  he  shot  down  several  Indians,  and  then  something 
went  wrong  with  one  of  his  revolvers;  the  Indians,  observ 
ing  this,  although  in  the  heat  of  the  terrible  fury,  shouted 
out,  "  He  has  lost  his  good  medicine,"  and  at  once  fired  at 
him.  One  bullet  pierced  him  through  the  brain  and  another 
passed  through  his  body  as  he  fell  a  corpse. 

While  from  motives  of  selfish  policy  the  old  professional 
medicine-men  generally  live  in  peace  with  each  other,  still 
there  are  times  when  the  bitterest  hostility  exists  between 
them,  and  there  have  been  trials  of  their  skill  that  perplexed 
and  astonished  those  who  were  witnesses  of  the  strange  con 
flict.  The  following  is  an  account  of  a  trial  of  skill  of  this- 
kind  between  two  celebrated  medicine-men  that  is  worthy 
of  record. 

Black  Snake  was  the  name  of  one  of  these  medicine-men. 
He  lived  on  a  northern  branch  of  the  Saskatchewan  River, 
and  so  must  have  been  a  Cree  or  Mountain  Stoney.  He  lived 
a  solitary  life,  was  dreaded  and  feared  by  the  Indians,  who 
firmly  believed  that  the  spirit  of  the  evil  gods  dwelt  in  him. 
Yet  although  he  kept  himself  much  aloof  from  the  people,  he 
was  vain  and  ambitious  as  well  as  haughty  and  contemptu 
ous.  The  report  of  the  skill  of  a  great  rival  filled  him  with 
wrath,  and  so  it  was  arranged  that  there  should  be  a  trial  of 
their  power. 

The  rival  medicine-men,  each  furnished  with  his  medicine- 
bag,  his  amulets,  and  other  professional  paraphernalia,  arrayed 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  223 

in  full  dress  and  covered  with  war-paint,  met  in  the  presence 
of  a  great  concourse.  Both  had  prepared  for  the  encounter 
by  long  fasting  and  conjurations.  After  the  pipe,  which 
precedes  all  important  councils,  had  been  smoked  the  medi 
cine-men  sat  down  opposite  to  each  other  a  few  feet  apart. 
The  trial  of  power  seems  to  have  been  conducted  on  princi 
ples  of  animal  magnetism,  and  lasted  a  long  while  without 
decided  advantage  on  either  side,  until  Black  Snake,  concert 
ing  all  his  power,  or  "  gathering  his  medicine,"  in  a  loud  voice 
commanded  his  opponent  to  die.  Strange  as  it  may  appear, 
the  unfortunate  conjurer  succumbed,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
was  dead. 

This  remarkable  encounter  was  mentioned  to  a  priest  of 
the  Jesuit  order  who  had  been  for  over  twenty  years  labor 
ing  in  the  wildest  parts  on  the  western  slopes  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  who  had  in  those  long  years  obtained  an  inti 
mate  knowledge  of  the  doings  and  power  of  these  medicine 
men.  Instead  of  seeming  incredulous  or  astonished  at  the 
recital  of  the  strange  contest  he  said:  "  I  have  seen  many  ex 
hibitions  of  power  which  my  philosophy  cannot  explain.  I 
have  known  predictions  of  events  far  in  the  future  to  be  lit 
erally  fulfilled,  and  have  seen  *  medicine '  tested  in  the  most 
conclusive  wavs.  I  once  saw  a  Kootenai  Indian  (known  as 
Skookum-tam-aherewos  from  his  extraordinary  power)  com 
mand  a  mountain  sheep  to  fall  dead,  and  the  animal  then 
leaping  among  the  rocks  of  the  mountain-side  fell  instantly 
lifeless.  This  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes,  and  I  ate  of  the  ani 
mal  afterward.  It  was  unwounded,  healthy,  and  perfectly 
wild."  This  priest  always  firmly  believed  that  these  old 
medicine-men  were  in  league  with  and  derived  a  great  deal 
of  supernatural  power  from  the  evil  one,  and  as  a  natural 
consequence  he  preferred  to  keep  as  clear  of  them  as  possible. 

A  circumstance  almost  similar  occurred  at  Nelson  River  one 
spring  while  I  was  there.  An  old  conjurer  came  to  the  Hud; 
son  Bay  Company's  trading-post  and  in  rather  saucy  words 
demanded  food  of  the  gentleman  then  in  charge  of  the  place. 


224  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

Mr.  Flett,  not  admiring  the  tones  in  which  the  conjurer 
asked  for  aid,  and  knowing  well  that  there  was  abundance  of 
game,  as  the  wild  ducks  and  geese  were  then  passing  by  in 
great  numbers,  rather  sternly  said  to  him,  "  I'll  not  encour 
age  you  in  your  laziness.  Go  out  and  shoot  ducks  and  geese 
like  other  people."  A  few  sharp  words  passed  between  them, 
and  at  length  the  medicine-man  retorted,  "  I  can  get  geese  if 
I  like  without  shooting  them."  Mr.  Flett,  who  had  heard  of 
this  old  fellow's  power,  and  wishing  to  see  it,  retorted,  "  I 
don't  believe  you!  "  "Come  and  see,"  replied  the  angry  old 
man  as  he  walked  out  of  the  house,  followed  by  Mr.  Flett  and 
several  members  of  his  family.  Soon  a  flock  of  wild  geese 
appeared  flying  from  the  south,  as  it  was  in  the  spring-time. 
The  old  medicine-man  called  on  his  familiar  spirits,  and  then 
imitated  the  well-known  cry  of  the  wild  goose,  at  which  all 
these  Indians  are  expert.  Strange  to  say,  a  large,  splendid 
goose  dropped  from  the  flock  and  fell  dead  at  the  feet  of  the 
old  fellow,  who,  coolly  picking  it  up,  said  to  Mr.  Flett  as  he 
walked  off,  "  You  see  now  I  can  get  geese  if  I  want  to  with 
out  shooting  them." 

Very  shortly  after  Mr.  Flett  and  his  family  told  me  this 
strange  story,  which  had  made  a  deep  impression  upon  them. 
We  tried  to  explain  its  mystery  away,  but  we  have  given  it 
just  as  it  happened.  Marvelous  is  the  power  through  fear 
which  these  medicine-men  exert  over  the  rest  of  the  people. 
Except  in  what  belonged  to  their  vocation  they  always 
Beemed  to  me  to  be  incorrigibly  lazy.  Yet  they  lived  on  the 
best  that  was  obtainable,  and  ever  had  abundance.  Their 
plan  was  a  system  of  blackmailing.  From  the  deer-hunters 
they  demanded  so  much  venison  as  the  price  of  success  in 
hunting  the  deer;  so  with  the  beaver-hunters  and  others.  If 
any  demurred  from  these  exactions  they  were  instantly 
threatened  with  dire  calamities:  "I'll  conjure  so  you  will 
lose  your  health,  your  boy  will  die,  your  gun  will  not  shoot 
straight,  or  the  animals  will  not  go  into  your  traps."  And 
the  poor  deluded  fools  will  believe  that  they  have  all  this 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  225 

pretended  power,  and  will  tamely  submit  to  be  thus  robbed 
and  swindled. 

Poor  slaves  of  superstition!  I  used  to  pity  them,  and  noth 
ing  gave  me  greater  joy  than  to  see  these  chains  broken 
from  their  minds  and  the  people  rising  up  in  their  spiritual 
emancipation  and  boldly  defying  the  medicine-men  to  do 
their  worst,  unless  it  was  to  see,  as  it  was  my  joy  in  several 
instances,  these  old  conjurers  publicly  renouncing  their  old 
sinful  life  and  abominable  practices  and  becoming  honest,  in 
dustrious  men  and  consistent  Christians. 

To  those  who  have  not  personally  been  among  a  people 
under  the  power  of  superstition,  fear,  and  terror  such  as 
these  notorious  medicine-men  can  inspire,  some  of  the  stories 
that  can  be  told  must  seem  almost  incredible.  Yet  it  is  well 
known  by  us  missionaries  that  there  have  been  cases  where 
apparently  healthy  men  have  succumbed  under  the  witchery 
of  these  wretches.  These  conjurers,  having  had  their  anger 
aroused  by  some  act  of  opposition  to  their  will,  have  cast 
such  a  spell  over  their  victims  by  telling  them  they  must  die 
within  such  a  time  that  they  have  laid  themselves  down  and 
within  that  period,  without  any  apparent  disease,  have  died. 

One  of  the  best-known  medicine-men  of  my  acquaintance 
was  a  Cree  or  Kunista.  Of  him  this  happened  while  I  was  liv 
ing  at  Norway  House:  One  summer  when  the  Hudson  Bay 
Council  was  sitting  at  Norway  House  the  private  secretary 
of  the  governor,  a  Mr.  II.,  was  very  anxious  to  hear  about  the 
arrival  of  the  "  proofs  "  of  a  book  he  had  written  and  which 
was  being  published  in  London,  England.  So,  without  letting 
any  one  into  the  secret,  he  induced  old  Tapastanum  to  con 
jure  and  find  out  what  he  wanted  and  where  it  was.  Tapas 
tanum  was  an  ignorant,  unintellectual  person,  and  destitute, 
when  sober,  of  those  fierce  traits  which  are  generally  sup 
posed  to  be  part  of  the  make-up  of  the  dreaded  conjurer. 
After  a  good  deal  of  reluctance  at  length  he  was  induced  to 
comply  with  the  wish  of  Mr.  II.,  and,  erecting  a  conjurer's 
tent,  he  went  into  it  with  nothing  but  his  magic  drum  and 


226  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

medicine-bag.  After  beating  his  drum  incessantly  for  hours, 
and  working  himself  up  into  a  kind  of  frenzy  in  calling  upon 
his  totems  or  familiar  spirits,  he  said  that  he  had  found  out 
that  there  had  arrived  on  such  a  day  from  across  the  great 
sea,  and  was  now  in  Fort  Garry,  a  parcel  the  size  of  which 
he  accurately  described.  Several  weeks  after,  when  Mr.  H. 
returned  to  the  Red  River  Settlement,  he  found  that  his  par 
cel  of  "  proofs  "  which  he  had  been  anxious  about  had  ar 
rived  on  the  day  mentioned  by  the  conjurer,  and  was  exactly 
the  size  described  by  him. 

This  incident  caused  a  good  deal  of  talk  and  some  excite 
ment.  Mr.  II.  himself  was  as  much  surprised  as  any  one  else, 
as  he  had  been  very  skeptical  about  the  old  conjurer's  powers, 
and  had  only  put  the  old  fellow  to  the  test  for  a  little  amuse 
ment.  But  he  had  to  admit  that  here  was  something  that 
confounded  his  philosophy. 

The  Hudson  Bay  Company's  officials,  who  have  lived  in 
various  parts  of  the  country  for  many  years,  and  are  fre 
quently  coming  in  contact  with  these  old  conjurers  of  dif 
ferent  tribes,  are  very  much  divided  in  their  views  about 
them.  Some  most  firmly  believe  that  they  have  some  super 
natural  power  or  are  in  league  with  evil  spirits,  and  through 
these  agencies  are  at  times  able  to  do  things  almost  incred 
ible.  But  the  great  majority  of  the  officers,  like  myself, 
believe  that  they  are  only  clever  impostors,  shrewd  students 
of  human  nature,  and,  perhaps,  possessed  in  some  instances 
of  an  extra  amount  of  animal  magnetism  or  mesmeric 
power. 

They  did  not  always  succeed  as  in  the  last  incident.  An 
other  old  medicine-man  was  constantly  boasting  that  he  could 
so  put  himself  under  the  power  of  his  familiar  spirits  that  fire 
could  not  burn  him  nor  bullets  pierce  him.  So  arrogant  did 
he  get  and  boastful  in  his  utterances  that  the  gentleman  in 
charge  of  the  fort,  a  Mr.  Hamilton,  offered  to  take  him  at  his 
word  and  test  his  skill.  The  cunning  old  medicine-man,  who 
had  an  eye  to  business,  offered  to  accept  the  challenge  on 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  227 

condition  that  so  many  pounds  of  tobacco  and  tea  should  be 
forthcoming.  This  being  arranged  to  his  satisfaction,  the 
ordeal  began.  The  old  fellow  spent  several  hours  in  carefully 
preparing  his  conjurer's  tent,  which  he  made  by  bending 
over,  like  half -hoops,  a  number  of  limber  green  poles,  the  ends 
of  which  he  stuck  firmly  in  the  ground.  Then  over  this 
light  frame-work  he  threw  a  covering  made  by  sewing  to 
gether  a  number  of  deer-skins,  from  which  the  hair  had  been 
scraped.  The  whole  tent  when  thus  finished  was  only  about 
seven  feet  in  diameter  and  hardly  six  feet  high.  Then  di 
vesting  himself  of  all  his  clothing  but  one  garment,  which 
left  most  of  his  bronzed  limbs  bare,  and  taking  his  sacred 
medicine-bag  and  drum  with  him,  he  disappeared  under  the 
tent,  which  had  neither  door  nor  window. 

Soon  the  monotonous  drumming  was  heard,  and  then  shortly 
after  there  issued  from  the  little  tent  sounds  as  though  most  of 
the  wild  beasts  of  these  northern  woods  had  there  been  gath 
ered.  Bears  and  wolverines  growled,  wolves  howled,  foxes 
barked,  wild  cats  shrieked,  and  other  discordant  sounds  were 
heard  amid  the  incessant  drumming.  Then  the  little  tent 
began  to  shake  and  swing  as  though  exposed  to  a  western 
cyclone.  Above  these  various  discordant  sounds  the  voice  of 
the  old  medicine-man  was  heard  repeating  over  and  over, 
"  Soon  fire  will  not  burn  me  nor  bullets  pierce  me  !  " 

In  the  meantime  iny  friend,  Mr.  Hamilton,  had  put  the 
long  six-foot  iron  poker  into  a  good  fire  and  was  much 
interested  in  getting  it  so  heated  that  he  might  practically 
test  the  amount  of  protection  his  satanic  majesty  could  put 
on  the  naked  legs  of  his  servant,  the  conjurer.  For  perhaps 
an  hour  the  wild  medley  of  sounds  came  from  the  tent,  while 
it  shivered  and  shook  in  a  way  that  threatened  any  moment 
to  bring  it  to  the  ground.  Then  the  old  fellow  inside  seemed 
to  have  so  wrought  himself  up  into  a  frenzy  that  his  courage 
or  madness  enabled  him  to  leave  off  all  doubts,  and  he  fairly 
screamed  out  his  challenge,  "  No  fire  can  burn  me,  no  bullets 
can  pierce  me  !  " 


228  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that  ?  "  shouted  Mr.  Hamilton,  above  the 
din  and  noise. 

Back  came  the  answer  :  "  Ho,  ho  !  Fire  can't  burn  me,  no 
bullets  can  pierce  me  !  " 

Quickly  seizing  the  cold  end  of  the  long  iron  poker,  Mr. 
Hamilton,  who  was  a  large,  powerful  man,  suddenly  raised 
one  side  of  the  leather  tent  a  couple  of  feet,  and  inserting  the 
other  end  of  the  poker,  which  was  red-hot,  he  rapidly  and 
vigorously  moved  it  around  and  pressed  it  up  against  any 
thing  within  his  reach  inside.  Very  abruptly  all  the  queer 
sounds  to  which  we  had  been  listening  ceased,  and  there 
quickly  burst  out  a  succession  of  yells  of  fury  and  groans  of 
pain.  Then  the  tent  suddenly  seemed  to  collapse,  and  from 
it  there  rushed  out  on  the  opposite  side  a  severely  burned  and 
thoroughly  frightened  Indian,  who  made  for  the  woods  as 
quickly  as  possible,  and  was  not  till  months  after  seen  again 
in  that  vicinity. 

In  spite  of  all  that  has,  been  written  disparagingly  about 
,  those  old  conjurers  it  is  a  matter  of  great  thankfulness  that 
we  can  report  the  thorough  conversion  of  several  of  them. 
One  genuine  case  was  that  of  an  old  man  who  was  one  of 
the  Wood  Cree  Indians  that  lived  beyond  Norway  House. 
He  renounced  his  old  life  and  habits,  burned  his  medicine- 
bag,  and  gave  himself  to  the  Saviour.  Great  and  marvelous 
was  the  change  produced  in  him.  When  he  came  to  the 
church  for  baptism,  in  answer  to  my  question,  "  Name  this 
man,"  he  promptly  said,  "  Call  me  Daniel." 

"  Why  Daniel  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because,"  he  replied,  "  I  heard  you  preach  about  Daniel, 
and  you  told  about  his  being  delivered  from  the  lions.  It 
was  a  great  deliverance,  but  not  as  great  as  mine  from  my 
sins." 

Then,  lifting  up  his  right  hand  and  looking  intently  at  it, 
he  said  in  a  voice  that  almost  startled  us  all  :  "Missionary, 
that  hand  has  mixed  the  poisons  that  have  killed  fourteen 
people.  I  have  been  a  very  wicked  man,  but  I  have  heard 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  229 

the  Great  Spirit's  voice.  I  have  come  to  him  and  he  has 
saved  me,  and  my  deliverance  is  greater  than  that  of  Daniel, 
for  I  was  in  a  deeper,  darker  place,  but  he  has  brought  me 
out  into  the  light." 

So,  amid  the  hushed  excitement  of  the  audience,  we  bap 
tized  him  Daniel. 


230  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

THE     HUDSON      BAY      COMPANY — ENORMOUS      EXTENT     OF     ITS 

OPERATIONS VASTNESS    OF    THE  COUNTRY FROM   OCEAN 

TO    OCEAN WORLD     LONG     KEPT    IN    IGNORANCE    OF   THE 

POSSIBILITIES    OF    THE   CANADIAN  NORTH-WEST MARVEL 
OUS     CHANGES CANADIAN     PACIFIC     RAILROAD COMING 

GREATNESS  OF  CANADA BRYANT HUDSON  BAY  TRADERS 

TRADING-POSTS METHODS  OF  BARTER STORY  OF  THE 

INDIAN  AND  HIS  LOST  MONEY BEAVER-SKIN  STANDARD 

MAILS  BUT  ONCE  OR  TWICE  A  YEAR A  DAILY  PAPER 

JOHN  AND  HIS  MASTER THE  PEA-SOUP SECURING  THE 

COMPANY'S  GOOD-WILL — VISITS  TO  THE  LONELY  POSTS — 

GRATEFUL    WHITES    AS    WELL    AS    INDIANS "ALL    THINGS 

TO    ALL    MEN    THAT    AVE    MIGHT  WIN    SOME.' 


TO  many  it  maybe  interesting  news  to  hear  that  there  is  in 
the  Dominion  of  Canada  a  mighty  commercial  firm,  em 
ploying  millions  of  dollars  of  capital,  that  has  been  in  con 
tinuous  existence  since  the  reign  of  Charles  I,  a  period  of 
over  two  hundred  years.  For  over  two  centuries  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  has  been  the  wealthiest  corporation  of,  and  has 
exercised  almost  despotic  powers  in,  the  great  North-west. 
The  charter  which  it  received  from  Charles  I.  was  only  sur 
rendered  a  few  years  ago  to  the  government  of  the  Dominion 
of  Canada.  For  it  the  directors  received  one  million  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  cash,  and  also  immense  grants  of 
land.  This  great  company  has  its  head-quarters  in  Lon 
don,  England.  The  directors,  until  very  lately,  have  pre 
ferred  to  keep  the  world  in  ignorance  of  their  operations,  and 
hence  but  very  little  information  was  given  to  the  public. 
The  company's  shares  were  at  one  time  of  very  great  value, 
and  almost  sacredly  kept  in  certain  families.  Reports  tell  of 
almost  fabulous  dividends  and  fortunes  speedily  realized  by 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  231 

the  fortunate  holders  of  its  stock.  But  those  days  seem  to 
be  over,  and  now  the  company's  stock  is  quoted  like  that  of 
other  corporations,  with  all  the  incidental  fluctuations. 

Since  the  Dominion  government  has  extinguished  the  ex 
clusive  trading  privileges  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  the 
glory  of  that  institution  has,  in  a  measure,  departed;  yet  the 
company  is  still  the  greatest  fur-trading  establishment  in 
the  world,  with  forts  or  trading-posts  scattered  through  the 
northern  part  of  this  American  continent  from  the  Atlantic 
to  the  Pacific.  The  company's  ships,  laden  with  goods,  still 
leave  their  London  docks  and  return  freighted  with  cargoes 
of  the  richest  furs.  So  persevering  were  the  hardy  adventur 
ers  in  their  efforts  to  advance  the  company's  interests  and  in 
crease  the  "  returns  "  that  they  had,  even  before  the  days  of 
Astor,  established  trading-posts  in  Oregon,  where  they  did  a 
flourishing  business  with  the  Indians  of  that  land. 

From  the  great  Mackenzie  River  traders  pushed  on  west 
ward  until  they  had  entered  and  organized  some  most  suc 
cessful  posts  in  Alaska.  From  these  northern  places  they  ob 
tained  immense  returns,  and  I  well  remember  the  vexation  of 
some  of  them  when  the  sale  of  that  country  by  Russia  to  the 
United  States  made  it  necessary  for  those  fur-traders  to  with 
draw.  They  used  to  talk  of  the  mighty  Yukon  River  and 
the  gold-mines  that  are  in  that  northern  land  in  addition  to 
its  valuable  fur-bearing  animals. 

It  is  an  almost  impossible  task  to  give  any  very  clear  idea 
of  the  vastness  of  the  country  over  which  the  sway  of  this 
mighty  trading  company  extended,  and  in  which  they  have 
planted  their  lonely  trading -posts  in  different  places  between 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans  and  from  the  United  States 
boundary  to  within  the  arctic  circle.  Some  of  them  were 
hundreds  of  miles  from  their  nearest  neighbors.  Over  this 
vast  country  roamed  the  wild  Indians  of  many  tribes,  some 
of  them  as  fierce  and  warlike  as  any  others  on  the  whole  con 
tinent;  yet  the  employees  of  this  great  trading  corporation 
managed  to  get  along  with  them  so  harmoniously  and  peace- 


232  STORIES  FR  OM  INDIA  N  WIG  WA  MS 

ably  that  robberies  or  murders  very  seldom  occurred.  Their 
jurisdiction  until  a  few  years  ago  not  only  extended  over  the 
wilder  rocky  regions  of  the  far  north,  where  only  Indians  and 
the  rich  fur-bearing  animals  can  live,  but  they  also  claimed 
authority  over  the  vast  fertile  prairies  which  extend  from  the 
Red  River  to  the  foot-hills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  into  which 
thousands  of  settlers  have  since  gone  and  where  many  millions 
of  bushels  of  the  finest  wheat  are  being  raised,  and  where  vast 
droves  of  cattle  have  taken  the  places  of  countless  herds  of 
buffaloes  that  roamed  these  fertile  plains  not  a  generation  ago. 

The  possibilities  of  the  Canadian  North-west  are  still 
among  the  uncertainties;  still  enough  has  been  demonstrated 
to  show  that  there  is  room  and  capabilities  for  scores  of  mill 
ions  of  people  to  live  on  its  vast  fertile  prairies,  which  are 
greater  in  extent  than  France,  Germany,  and  Austria  com 
bined.  The  opening  up  of  the  country  by  the  building  of  the 
Canadian  Pacific  Railroad  has  done  much  to  make  these 
romantic  mountain  regions  better  known  to  the  outside  world, 
and  to  attract  from  overcrowded  lands  thousands,  who  are 
but  the  beginning  of  the  vast  multitudes  who  will  yet  come 
into  its  fertile  plains,  and  who  are  creating  for  themselves 
happy  and  comfortable  homes. 

Marvelous  indeed  are  the  changes  which  a  few  years  have 
made.  Where  the  Indians  roamed  and  hunted,  or  moved  from 
place  to  place  in  their  own  picturesque  primitive  style — often 
with  all  their  worldly  goods  which  were  not  on  the  backs  of 
their  squaws  fastened  on  two  poles,  one  end  of  each  tied  to 
the  side  of  a  horse  while  the  other  dragged  on  the  ground — 
now  are  to  be  found  thousands  of  comfortable  homes  of  indus 
trious  settlers  whose  prolific  wheat-fields  yield  the  largest 
average  per  acre  of  any  in  this  whole  round  globe  of  ours. 
Where  the  long  trains  of  creaking,  greaseless  Red  River  carts 
slowly  crawled  along  over  the  trails  with  their  loads  of  buf 
falo  robes  and  dried  meat  there  now  dash  the  well-equipped 
trains  of  the  longest  railroad  in  the  world.  Where,  up  the 
rivers,  over  the  portages,  ami  across  the  lakes,  in  rude  na- 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  283 

live-made  boats  manned  by  human  muscles,  magnificent 
though  they  were,  the  limited  traffic  of  the  country  passed, 
now  steam-boats  and  branch  railroads  are  to  be  found, 
laughing  in  their  giant  strength  with  derision  at  the  puny 
work  and  crude  methods  which  they  have  supplanted.  Their 
shrieks  and  shrill  whistles  have  awakened  the  echoes  amid  the 
solitudes  of  centuries,  and  now  every  thing  in  that  land  seems 
to  feel  the  throbbing  pulse  of  a  new  and  active  life. 

And  all  this  has  come  about  within  a  very  short  time.  A 
few  years  ago  but  little  more  was  known  about  the  northern 
part  of  the  American  continent  than  about  the  heart  of  Africa. 
The  great  selfish  company  whose  charter  made  them  the  des 
potic  rulers  over  it  thought  it  was  to  their  interest  to  keep 
the  outside  world  in  ignorance  as  to  its  capabilities,  and  to 
belittle  it  to  any  inquisitive  individual  or  parliamentary  com 
mittee  that  endeavored  to  find  out  the  truth  concerning  it. 
And  so  for  two  centuries  they  held  it,  and  in  their  own  way 
ruled  it,  and  made  enormous  fortunes  out  of  it.  A  large  pro 
portion  of  the  colossal  fortune  devoted  to  the  building  of 
homes  for  the  London  poor  by  Peabody,  the  philanthropist, 
was  stock  in  this  wealthy  company.  But  the  days  of  ex 
clusive  fur-trade  in  this  land  are  ended,  and  multitudes,  as  the 
earnest  of  what  is  yet  to  be,  have  entered  into  the  goodly  land. 

Often  as  over  its  beautiful  prairies  I  wandered  and  saw 
the  long  procession  of  brave  men  and  hopeful  women  coming 
iii  and  taking  possession,  and  tried  to  realize  the  develop 
ments  of  coming  years,  nothing  that  I  could  think  of  seemed 
more  appropriate,  or  half  so  beautiful,  as  the  lines  of  that 
sweet  poet,  William  Cullen  Bryant: 

"  I  listen  long,  and  think  I  hear 

The  sound  of  that  advancing  multitude 

Which  soon  shall  fill  these  deserts.     From  the  ground 

Conies  up  the  laugh  of  children,  the  soft  voice 

Of  maidens,  and  the  sweet  and  solemn  hymn 

Of  Sabbath  worshipers.     The  low  of  herds 

Blends  with  the  rustling  of  the  heavy  grain 

Over  the  dark-brown  furrows." 


234  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

But  we  must  return  to  our  narrative  of  doings  in  the 
country  in  the  years  gone  by  when  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  missionaries  the  fur-traders  were  the  only  white  people 
in  the  land,  and  some  of  them  were  located  in  places  so  re 
mote  that  they  received  but  one  mail  annually,  and  were  for 
many  years  separated  from  all  civilized  society.  To  an  out 
sider,  life  must  have  seemed  dreary  and  monotonous  in  the  ex 
treme  at  these  isolated  inland  trading-posts.  Yet  the  officers 
and  employees  in  some  instances  become  so  attached  to  it 
that  there  are  many  cases  on  record  where  some  of  these 
gentlemen,  after  having  acquired  a  fortune  and  returned  to 
civilization,  have  found  life  there  so  uncongenial  that  they 
have  voluntarily  and  gladly  gone  back  to  these  lonely  places 
and  there  ended  their  days  in  peace  and  contentment.  For 
them  those  sylvan  solitudes  and  the  companionship  of  the 
Indian  hunters  had  more  charms  than  all  the  blessings  and 
privileges  of  civilization.  Perhaps  it  was  in  the  mouth  of 
one  with  such  preferences  that  Shakespeare  put  these  ex 
pressive  words: 

"  Hath  riot  old  custom  made  this  life  more  sweet 

Than  that  of  painted  pomp?  Are  not  these  woods 

More  free  from  peril  than  the  envious  court  ? 

Here  feel  we  but  the  penalty  of  Adam, 

The  seasons'  difference ;  as,  the  icy  fang, 

And  churlish  chiding  of  the  winter's  wind; 

Which  when  it  bites  and  blows  upon  my  body, 

Even  till  I  shrink  with  cold,  I  smile  and  say, — 

This  is  no  flattery:  these  are  counselors 

That  feelingly  persuade  me  what  I  am. 

Sweet  are  the  uses  of  adversity, 

Which,  like  the  toad,  ugly  and  venomous, 

Wears  yet  a  precious  jewel  in  his  head  ; 

And  this  our  life,  exempt  from  public  haunt, 

Finds  tongues  in  tree;*,  books  in  the  running  brooks, 

Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  every  thing." 

The  methods  of  trade  with  the  Indians  were  novel  and 
primitive.  As  until  very  lately  such  a  thing  as  money  was 
unknown  among  them  the  trade  was  carried  on  altogether  by 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES. 


235 


barter.  So  little  did  some  of  the  Indians  at  first  know  of  the 
use  of  money  that  the  story  is  told  of  one  who,  when  the 
agent  at  the  first  treaty  gave  him  his  share,  went  and  hid  it 
somewhere  in  the  forest.  After  a  time  he  thought  he  would 
like  to  go  and  look  at  it.  Forgetting  where  the  hollow  tree 
was  in  which  he  had  hid  it,  he  had  a  long  and  unsuccessful 
search,  in  which  he  became  tired  and  very  much  annoyed  at 


ESTIMATING   THE    VALUE    OF    FURS. 


himself.  While  searching  for  it  a  happy  thought  came  to 
him  which  he  uttered  aloud:  "Why,  it  is  all  right;  if  I 
cannot  find  it,  no  one  else  can."  And  so  he  returned  to  his 
wigwam  happy  and  contented. 

In  the  traffic  by  barter  with  the  Indians,  before  the  intro 
duction  of  money,  the  beaver  was  adopted  as  the  standard  fur, 


236  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

and  the  value  of  all  others  was  estimated  according  to  it. 
For  example,  silver  and  black  foxes,  which  are  among  the 
most  valuable  of  furs,  were  reckoned  as  equal  to  thirty  beaver- 
skins.  A  good  otter  was  equal  to  four  beavers,  and  so  also 
was  a  good  black  bear-skin.  Of  the  inferior  furs  they  said  it 
took  so  many  to  make  one  beaver.  For  example,  ten  musk- 
rats  were  one  beaver,  two  red  fox-skins  were  also  but  one 
beaver.  So  the  plan  pursued,  when  a  successful  Indian 
hunter  came  in  with  his  valuable  pack  of  furs  to  trade,  was 
something  like  this  :  The  trader  carefully  looked  over  his 
large  bundle,  which  in  all  probability  contained  several  vari 
eties  of  foxes,  bears,  otters,  beavers,  minks,  martens,  ermines, 
musk-rats,  and  other  valuable  furs  of  the  country.  Although, 
perhaps,  in  the  pack  there  were  only  thirty  beaver-skins, 
yet,  by  adopting  the  plan  to  which  we  have  referred,  of 
bringing  all  to  the  standard  value  of  the  beaver,  the  trader 
would  say  to  him,  "You  have  three  hundred  beavers  here." 
If  this  agreed  with  the  Indian's  tally — and  they  are  very 
shrewd  at  estimating  their  furs'  value — the  trader  gave  the 
hunter  three  hundred  quills  for  the  furs,  and  then,  both  going 
into  the  store,  the  exchange  of  quills  for  goods  began.  Each 
article  of  goods  was  marked  so  many  beavers,  or  quills,  and 
so  the  transfer  of  quills  was  soon  made  for  blankets,  cloth 
ing,  kettles,  tea,  knives,  ammunition,  tobacco,  beads,  and 
various  other  tilings,  until  the  purchasing  medium — that  is, 
the  quills — ran  out.  And  this  often  happened  long  before  the 
poor  fellows  had  obtained  half  of  what  they  really  needed 
for  themselves  and  their  families. 

In  the  days  of  the  monopoly  of  the  trade  the  prices  given 
by  the  company  for  the  furs  were  apparently  very  low,  and 
our  sympathies  were  with  the  poor  Indians,  who  had  to 
endure  many  hardships  in  capturing  the  various  animals  in 
the  dreary  wintry  forests. 

Still,  there  is  this  to  be  said  for  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, 
that  every  thing  they  furnished  the  Indians  was  of  the  best 
materials,  and  their  expenses  in  carrying  the  trade  were  very 


AND  SOUTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  231 

great.  The  cost  of  freightage  alone  on  many  things  was  often 
more  than  ten  times  the  original  price  of  the  articles,  and 
then  there  was  the  fact  to  which  we  have  alluded,  that,  owing 
to  the  remoteness  of  some  of  the  posts  from  the  sea-board 
years  elapsed  ere  there  could  be  cash  returns  for  the  goods 
sent  in.  Since  the  surrender  of  the  company's  exclusive 
rights  to  the  trade  in  furs  there  has  been  a  good  deal  of 
what  is  called  free-trade.  Small  companies  and  individual 
traders  have  endeavored  to  secure  a  share  of  the  trade  at 
different  places  in  the  country,  but  only  with  indifferent  suc 
cess.  So  wealthy  and  so  strongly  intrenched  is  the  old  com 
pany  in  the  country  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  compete 
with  it.  Any  attempt  to  set  up  a  rival  trading-post  is  looked 
upon  with  a  jealous  eye  and  at  once  creates  the  most  unre 
lenting  hostility.  To  crush  out  the  intruders  at  any  price  is 
the  motto  of  the  old  and  wealthy  company,  and  so  the  battle 
begins.  At  first  the  Indians  were  pleased  to  have  the  free 
traders  come  and  traffic  among  them,  but  as  in  the  end  they 
became  the  sufferers  by  these  rivalries  they  changed  very 
much  in  their  views. 

Owing  to  the  remoteness  and  isolation  of  some  of  these 
posts  from  railroads  or  the  sea-board,  communication  is  ob 
tained  with  the  outside  world  but  once  or  twice  a  year.  It 
is  quite  evident  that  the  daily  papers  are  not  there  re 
ceived  every  morning.  Yet  at  one  of  these  places  a  plan  was 
adopted  by  which  the  gentleman  in  charge  was  supplied  with 
his  daily  paper.  He  ordered  out  from  London  a  complete 
set  of  the  London  Daily  Times,  for  the  full  year  past,  up  to 
the  date  of  the  sailing  of  the  ship.  After  several  months' 
journeying  over  land  and  sea,  and  across  many  portages  and 
up  several  rivers,  his  precious  box  of  papers  at  length  reached 
him.  Every  morning  when  summoned  to  breakfast  by  his 
faithful  servant,  John,  he  found  beside  his  plate  his  daily 
paper.  This  he  carefully  perused  while  John  cooked  his  fish. 
But  one  copy  a  day  only  was  taken  from  that  box.  No 
matter  how  exciting  might  be  the  events  recorded,  or 


238  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

how  great  the  suspense  which  the  half-finished  information 
of  to-day's  copy  might  cause  the  reader,  all  curiosity  was 
curbed  and  the  result  was  not  known  until  at  the  regular 
hour  the  next  day,  when  the  next  copy  of  the  paper  was 
read. 

A  good  story  is  told  of  this  same  old  Hudson  Bay  officer 
which  will  forcibly  illustrate  the  strict  discipline  and  formal 
and  almost  military  routine  of  even  the  smaller  trading-posts 
of  this  great  company. 

One  year,  owing  to  the  very  early  setting  in  of  winter,  the 
supply  boat  taking  up  the  provisions  to  this  place  was  caught 
by  the  frost  several  hundreds  of  miles  from  its  destination. 
This  meant  that  all  the  employees  living  there  would  be 
obliged  to  subsist  on  fish  and  game,  unless  they  were  fortu 
nate  to  have  some  of  the  supplies  of  the  previous  year  left 
over.  All  this  old  officer  had  on  hand  was  a  quantity  of 
peas.  So  the  following  scene  used  to  occur  between  the 
master  and  his  faithful  henchman  :  A  knock  would  be  heard 
at  the  door  of  the  office.  In  his  loud,  military  voice  the 
master  would  shout  out,  "  Come  !  "  In  response  to  this 
John  Avould  open  the  door  and  with  uncovered  head  wrould 
enter. 

"Well,  John,  what  is  it?"  the  master  would  say. 

"Please,  sir,  I've  come  to  ask  what  we  are  to  have  for  din 
ner,"  says  John. 

"  O,  yes,  John,  that  is  a  very  important  question.  Let  me 
see — let  me  see.  What  did  we  have  yesterday,  John?" 

To  this  John  would  jerk  out,  "  Pea  soup,  sir." 

"  Why,  yes — of  course  we  did — and  it  was  very  good, 
John  ;  so  we  will  have  pea  soup  again  to-day,  John." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replies  the  faithful  servant,  as  he  backs  out  of 
the  room  and  goes  off  to  prepare  the  monotonous  meal. 

This  daily  interview  was  held  with  all  becoming  decorum 
and  gravity  between  master  and  servant  every  day  for  sev 
eral  months. 

Fortunate,  indeed,  was  it  for  the  Indians,  and  also  for  the 


Copyrighted. 


TROUT  SPRINGING  UP  THE  RAPIDS. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  239 

fur-traders  and  missionaries  in  those  dreary  wilds,  that  the 
lakes  and  rivers  are  so  abundantly  supplied  with  fish  of 
various  kinds.  The  white  fish  is  most  highly  prized,  and 
literally  swarms  in  millions  in  many  of  the  great  lakes. 
Pike,  pickerel,  jack,  muskallonge,  gold-eyes,  mullet,  enormous 
and  most  delicious  sturgeon,  and  many  other  varieties  are 
caught  in  great  numbers  in  their  season.  The  finest  trout 
haunts  the  crystal  rivers  and  forest  streams,  and  well  repaid 
is  the  adventurous  sportsman  who  penetrates  into  these 
sylvan  wilds  by  the  sight  of  these  gamy  fish  lurking  in  the 
dark  pools,  or  with  surprising  muscular  power  and  skill 
springing  up  the  falls  and  rapids  of  these  picturesque,  well- 
stocked  rivers.  Many  of  them  were  until  lately  unknown,  and 
for  years  would  have  so  remained  if  it  had  not  been  that 
the  building  of  the  magnificent  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  and 
its  many  tributaries  had  brought  them  within  the  knowledge 
and  reach  of  the  enthusiastic  followers  of  Izaak  Walton. 

So  dependent  were  we  in  our  mission  homes  for  our  sup 
plies  of  fish  for  our  daily  existence  that  all  the  mere  pleasur 
able  excitement  and  sport  of  fishing  soon  died  away.  For 
many  years  our  principal  food  was  fish.  Hardly  ever  did  a 
day  pass  without  fish  being  on  our  table,  and  often  for  months 
together  it  was  the  principal  and  sometimes  the  only  article 
of  food  three  times  a  day.  And  as  it  was  with  ourselves  so 
it  was  frequently  with  the  natives  and  traders.  In  our  inter 
change  of  visits,  as  we  dined  with  each  other,  so  accustomed 
were  we  to  this  fish  diet  that  the  most  common  form  of  in 
vitation  to  dine  was  to  say,  "  Will  you  come  and  eat  a  white 
fish  with  .me  to-day  ?  " 

From  many  of  the  officials  and  employees  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  we  received  help  and  encouragement  in  our 
missionary  work.  Their  posts  were  ever  open  to  receive  us, 
and  much  was  done  to  aid  us  in  preaching  the  Gospel  to 
their  servants  and  the  Indians  at  these  different  places. 
But  they  were  extremely  sensitive  in  reference  to  the  fur- 
trade,  and  were  very  quick  to  turn  their  friendship  into  open 

19 


240  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

hostility  toward  any  one  who  in  the  slightest  degree  came  in 
collision  with  what  they  considered  their  rights,  even  long 
after  they  had  surrendered  their  charter  to  the  government 
of  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 

When  we  first  went  to  that  land  where  the  cold  is  so  great  that 
winter  reigns  with  despotic  power  from  November  until  May 
we  naturally  expected  that  from  our  Indian  hunters  we  would 
secure  all  the  furs  we  needed  for  our  warmth  and  comfort. 
To  our  surprise  and  indignation  we  were  told  in  unmistak 
able  language  that  if  we  bought  or  accepted  as  a  present 
from  an  Indian  an  otter,  beaver,  mink,  marten,  or  any  other 
fur-skin  the  Hudson  Bay  officials  would  take  it  as  a  personal 
insult  and  would  do  all  in  their  power  to  oppose  and  hinder 
us  in  our  work  as  missionary  and  teacher  among  the  people. 
At  first  there  was  a  very  decided  disposition  on  our  part  to 
resent  such  impertinences  and  assumptions;  but  when  we 
seriously  considered  how  much  more  important  were  our  du 
ties  toward  the  poor  Indian  than  were  a  few  furs  for  our 
selfish  comfort  my  noble  wife  and  I  determined  to  pocket  the 
insult  and  do  nothing  that  would  interfere  with  our  being 
able  to  do  the  greatest  amount  of  good  to  the  souls  of  the 
people,  both  whites  and  Indians,  among  whom  our  lot  had 
been  so  providentially  cast.  So  what  few  furs  we  absolutely 
needed  to  help  keep  us  from  freezing  to  death  in  that  cold 
land  we  sent  for  all  the  way  to  Montreal,  a  distance  by  the 
route  they  had  to  travel  in  those  days  of  over  three  thousand 
miles,  while  all  around  us  we  saw  hundreds  of  much  finer 
ones  caught  and  sold  by  our  own  poor  Indians,  our  own 
parishioners,  for  not  one  tenth  the  price  we  had  to  pay  in  a 
distant  city. 

Some  sincere  friends  have  questioned  our  conduct  in  thus 
yielding  to  the  unreasonable  demands  of  this  despotic  com 
pany.  But  the  more  we  think  about  it  the  more  thankful 
are  we  that  we  did.  It  gave  us  the  good-will  of  the  company, 
and  through  having  this  we  had  access  to  hundreds  of  people 
whom  in  all  human  probability  we  would  never  have  reached. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  241 

We  were  kindly  welcomed  at  their  different  forts  and  trading- 
posts;  and  great  need  there  was  for  some  of  these  visits. 
Couples  were  married  by  us  who  ought  to  have  been  married 
long  before,  and  the  Gospel  was  preached  to  men  who  had 
gone  in  as  servants  to  the  company  from  Christian  lands,  but 
who,  for  many  long  years,  had  not  heard  a-  sermon.  I  well 
remember  at  one  of  the  lonely  interior  posts  where,  with  a 
couple  of  Indians  with  our  dog-trains,  we  had  penetrated, 
after  I  had  preached  to  the  few  whites  and  Indians,  who  had 
crowded  into  the  kitchen,  an  intelligent  Scotchman  grasped 
my  hand  and  said,  "  It  is  twenty-one  years  since  I  heard  a 
sermon.  Long  years  ago,"  he  added,  "  I  used  to  sit  under  the 
ministry  of  Dr.  Chalmers."  At  another  place  a  hardy  High 
lander  thanked  me  very  cordially  for  coming  to  them  with 
the  Gospel,  saying  it  was  over  a  dozen  years  since,  amid  the 
hills  of  old  Scotia,  he  had  attended  a  religious  service. 

Thus  the  joy  of  carrying  the  Gospel  to  these  neglected 
white  men,  as  well  as  to  the  hundreds  of  Indians,  might  have 
been  very  much  lessened  if  I  had  stubbornly  stood  on  my 
dignity  or  rights.  Paul's  testimony  was,  "  To  the  weak  be 
came  I  as  weak,  that  I  might  gain  the  weak :  I  am  made  all 
things  to  all  men,  that  I  might  by  all  means  save  some."  So 
we  had  a  good  precedent,  and  we  were  blessed  in  our  own 
souls  personally  as  well  as  made  a  blessing  to  many  others. 


242  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAMS 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE  F UK-BEARING  ANIMALS  OF  THE  HUDSON  BAY  TERRITORY 

CLEVER    FUR-HUNTERS — FOX   EASILY    SHOT INDUSTRIOUS 

BEAVERS THEIR  DAMS HOUSES  BUILT THE    OLD   SENTI 
NEL YOUNG     BEAVERS     AT      WORK    ALSO FUR-HUNTING 

DANGEROUS     WORK POOR     REMUNERATION     TO    THE    IN 
DIAN. 

MORE  than  half  of  the  valuable  furs  of  the  world  are 
obtained  in  the  wild  northern  regions  of  the  Dominion 
of  Canada.  This  fact  is  worth  remembering  in  view  of  the 
wide-spread  desire  to  get  as  much  information  as  possible  of 
the  varied  resources  of  this  Canada,  which  is  advancing  with 
such  rapid  strides  to  take  her  place  among  the  great  nations 
of  the  world. 

Far  north  of  the  fertile  prairies,  from  which  the  Indians  are 
gradually  retiring  before  the  irresistible  march  of  the  white 
man,  there  is  a  vast  region  of  country  extending  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  abounding  in  various  kinds 
of  fur-bearing  animals.  In  hunting  them  the  Indian  finds 
congenial  employment  ;  and  as  hunting  naturally  means 
isolation,  or,  at  most,  living  in  small  companies,  there  are 
none  of  those  opportunities  for  the  large  tribal  gatherings 
which  used  to  occur  among  the  tribes  further  south,  and 
which  so  often  resulted  in  mischievous  conspiracies,  followed 
by  deeds  of  blood. 

This  fur-producing  region  is  a  land  of  broad  lakes  and 
rapid  rivers,  a  country  so  intersected  by  streams  that  by 
making  portages  occasionally  an  Indian  can  go  in  his  light 
canoe  almost  anywhere.  It  is  a  land  of  vast  forests  and  im 
mense  swamps.  In  their  dark  recesses  and  along  the  banks 
of  those  streams  and  lakes  are  to  be  found  a  great  variety  of 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  243 

fur-bearing  animals.  Among  them  are  the  black  bears,  wolves, 
wolverines,  and  six  varieties  of  foxes,  namely,  the  black,  sil 
ver,  cross,  red,  white,  and  blue.  Here  is  also  the  home  of  the 
beaver,  the  most  industrious  and  clever  of  animals,  that 
builds  a  house  vastly  superior  to  the  wigwams  of  the  pagan 
Indians,  and  often  dams  back  a  stream  capable  of  driving  a 
first-class  mill.  Of  the  beaver  and  his  doings  we  will  have 

;.  _  O 

more  to  say  further  on. 

Minks  abound  in  thousands,  and  the  finest  of  martens,  but 
little  inferior  to  the  Russian  sables,  are  also  obtained  in  great 
numbers.  The  fisher  and  lynx,  or  wild  cat,  are  numerous, 
and  the  snow-white  ermines  yield  up  their  diminutive  coats 
to  form  some  of  the  robes  of  royalty,  or  to  decorate  those  of 
the  judges  of  some  of  the  highest  courts  of  the  land.  Numer 
ous  otters  are  often  seen  swiftly  gliding  through  the  water 
or  basking  on  the  shores  in  the  pleasant  sunshine,  or  they 
may  sometimes  be  seen  having  rare  sport  as  they  climb  up 
the  steep  clay-bank  and  then  slide  down  with  much  apparent 
delight  along  the  well-worn  groove  and  dive  with  almost 
boyish  glee  into  the  deep  waters  below.  Many  of  these  ani 
mals  live  on  fish,  with  which  those  lakes  and  rivers  at  times 
literally  swarm.  Others  of  them  thrive  on  rabbits  and  mice 
and  small  birds. 

But  numerous  as  these  animals  are — and  of  some  of  them 
there  is  no  apparent  diminution,  very  much  owing  to  the  wis 
dom  of  the  Indian  hunters  in  leaving  some  to  breed — a 
great  deal  of  skill  and  cleverness  is  required  in  capturing 
them.  Marvelously  endowed  with  the  instincts  of  self-pres 
ervation  are  most  of  these  animals,  and  it  was  always  in 
tensely  interesting  to  watch  the  conflict  between  man's 
reason  and  long  experience  and  the  natural  gifts  of  these 
four-footed  creatures  which  we  call  instinct — a  word  which 
does  not  begin  to  cover  all  their  acquirements.  Each  variety 
seems  to  have  its  own  characteristic  of  cleverness,  and  along 
this  line  it  ever  seems  to  work.  To  overmatch  this  is  the 
constant  study  of  the  Indian  hunters,  and  as  a  general  thing 


244 


STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


they  show  themselves  apt  scholars.  Then,  like  animals  of 
a  higher  grade,  they  have  their  weak  points  also.  To  find 
out  these  and  then  triumph  over  them  is  also  important  for 
those  who  would  capture  them.  See  this  as  a  sample  : 

"Do  you  see  that  red  fox  there  on  that  shore,  mission 
ary  ?  "  said  one  of  my  Indian  canoe-men  to  me  as  we  were 
paddling  along  one  lovely  summer  morning  on  a  beautiful 
lake  in  that  northern  land. 


SHOOTING   THE    FOX. 


I  shaded  my  eyes,  and  soon  saw  the  fox  several  hundreds 
of  yards  away.  "Yes,  I  see  it,"  I  replied. 

"Don't  you  white  folks  call  the  fox  very  clever?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes,"  I  answered  ;  "we  have  a  proverb,  c As  cunning  as 
a  fox.'  We  think  him  very  clever  or  cunning." 

With  a  laugh  he  answered,  "  We  Indians  think  the  fox 
is  the  greatest  fool  in  the  woods.  Do  you  see  that  fox  ? 
Well,  see  now  how  soon  we  will  have  him  here  in  the 
canoe." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  245 

"  All  right,"  I  said  ;  "  go  ahead  and  let  me  see  you  catch 
him." 

He  instantly  sprang  up  in  his  canoe  and  began  to  sing, 
while  he  noisily  aided  the  other  Indian  and  me  paddle  the 
canoe  along.  As  soon  as  the  fox  heard  the  noise,  after  gaz 
ing  at  us  for  a  minute  or  two,  he  trotted  up  from  the  shore 
and  disappeared  over  a  bank  which  rose  up  from  the  beach. 

"There,"  I  said,  "you  have  lost  him." 

"  O,  no;  I'll  get  him  soon,"  said  the  man,  with  any  amount 
of  assurance. 

We  had  now  got  within  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
shore  when  my  noisy  Indian  put  down  his  paddle  and,  tak 
ing  up  his  shot-gun,  began  making  a  noise  with  his  mouth  or 
lips  exactly  like  the  squeaking  of  mice.  Quietly  we  two  be 
hind  paddled  nearer  and  nearer  the  shore,  while  the  man  with 
the  gun  kept  up  his  mouse-like  squeaking.  Soon,  to  my  sur 
prise,  I  saw  the  fox  coming  back  over  the  bank  looking  for 
the  mice.  A  report  rang  out  from  the  gun  in  the  hands  of 
my  clever  Indian,  and  the  fox,  falling  dead,  was  soon  trans 
ferred  to  the  head  of  the  canoe.  All  the  man  vouchsafed  to 
say — and  he  said  it  with  a  quiet  smile  of  triumph — was, 
"There,  missionary,  is  the  red  fox  which  you  white  men 
think  is  so  clever." 

Another  thing  which  I  noticed  in  the  Indians  was  that 
while  they  had  pretty  good  ideas  of  their  own  skill  and  abil 
ity  as  hunters  they  were  also  very  quick  to  adopt  any  thing 
new  that  they  thought  would  make  them  more  successful  in 
their  work. 

The  beavers,  although  not  so  much  in  demand  as  when 
their  fur  was  required  for  the  manufacture  of  the  famous 
beaver  hats  of  the  past  generation,  are  still  much  sought 
after  for  their  really  valuable  fur.  The  discovery  of  the 
method  of  making  the  silk  hat  has  thrown  the  old  high  bea 
ver  out  of  the  market,  and  it  has  also  saved  this  industrious 
animal  from  threatened  extermination.  For  years  it  has 
been  a  great  pleasure  to  me  to  watch  and  study  the  habits 


246  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

and  characteristics  of  many  animals,  and  to  endeavor  to  com 
pare  the  perseverance,  intelligence,  or  industry  of  one  with 
another,  and  as  the  result  I  have  no  hesitancy  in  saying  as 
far  as  my  observations  have  gone  the  beaver  heads  the  list. 
Marvelously  clever  were  some  of  my  dogs,  as  some  of  the 
early  articles  of  this  'series  have  shown.  And  living  as  I  did 
with  dogs  that  plowed  my  field,  harrowed  in  my  grain, 
dragged  home  my  wood  for  mission,  church,  and  school- 
house,  and  also  were  my  gallant  trains  on  those  long  journeys 
of  hundreds  of  miles,  and  then  often  my  bed-fellows  at  night 
in  the  wintry  camp  in  the  snow,  I  saw  instances  of  sagacity 
and  intelligence  that  won  my  admiration  and  bound  very 
closely  to  me  my  four-footed  friends.  But  in  one  day's 
watching  of  beavers  at  work,  and  then  in  the  study  and  ex 
amination  of  their  dams  and  houses,  I  have  seen  that  which 
amazed  and  astonished  me  more  than  the  doings  of  any  other 
of  the  brute  creation.  Of  course  I  do  not  speak  of  their  love 
or  affection.  I  never  tamed  one  or  tried  to  do  so.  Others 
have  done  so,  and  say  they  are  affectionate  pets.  I  am  writ 
ing  only  of  those  characteristics  that  came  under  my  own 
observation. 

I  have  seen  stumps  of  trees  over  two  feet  in  diameter  that 
had  been  cut  off  by  beavers.  They  can  always  throw  the  tree 
just  where  they  want  it  to  go.  When  out  in  the  forest  with 
my  Indian  woodmen  chopping  down  the  large  trees  for  our 
great  winter  fires,  as  we  had  no  coal  in  that  land,  I  have  been 
amused  by  hearing  the  men  say,  as  they  anxiously  watched 
to  see  where  the  trees  they  had  cut  would  fall,  "  Beavers  are 
better  at  this  work  than  we.  They  know  exactly  where  the 
tree  they  have  cut  will  fall.  They  never  even  look  up  as  it 
comes  crashing  down  just  where  they  wanted  it  to  go."  I 
first  thought  this  was  some  of  their  nonsense,  but  I  found  out 
after  years  of  inquiry  and  observation  that  it  was  the  fact. 
They  are  very  numerous  in  the  Nelson  River  country,  and 
there  some  of  their  largest  houses  and  dams  are  to  be  found. 

With  the  greatest  interest  I  have  from  a  wooded  hill-top 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  247 

or  bluff  watched  through  a  telescope  a  colony  of  these  clever 
beavers  at  work.  If  the  pond  was  made  it  was  generally 
quite  easy  to  single  out  the  old  watchman  who  acted  as 
guard  for  all.  His  place  was  frequently  on  a  stump  out  in 
the  water,  which  only  rose  a  few  inches  above  it.  Appar 
ently  he  was  only  lazily  sunning  himself  while  all  the  rest 
were  industriously  at  work.  But  to  find  out  his  true  posi 
tion  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  make  a  slight  noise,  and  instantly 
his  broad  tail  comes  down  on  the  water  with  a  slap  so  vig 
orous  that  it  sounds  like  a  pistol-shot.  Having  sounded  his 
note  of  danger  he  quickly  dives  out  of  sight  into  the  water, 
and  every  one  of  the  colony,  no  matter  how  he  might  have 
been  employed,  quickly  follows.  Where  all  was  activity  a 
few  minutes  ago  now  all  is  apparent  solitude.  But  if  our 
patience  will  hold  out  and  the  wind  is  blowing  from  them 
to  us  we  will  soon  see  them  at  work  again. 

As  we  keep  perfectly  still  we  observe  on  the  quiet  glassy 
water  a  faint  disturbance  away  off  on  one  side.  If  our  tele 
scope  is  powerful  enough  we  can  see  that  it  is  caused  by  the 
old  sentinel  beaver,  who  is  quietly  poking  up  first  his  nose 
to  smell  and  then  his  eyes  to  see  if  he  can  discover  what  it 
was  that  alarmed  him.  As  we  are  very  quiet  and  completely 
hid  from  him  he  cannot  detect  us.  Still  he  is  very  wary, 
and  so  he  sinks  again  out  of  sight  and  swims  to  another  part 
of  the  pond.  Here  he  again  comes  up  very  cautiously  to 
the  surface  and  tries  to  discover  any  signs  of  danger. 

It  is  fortunate  for  us  that  the  wind  is  blowing  from  him  to  us. 
If  it  were  otherwise  he  would  soon  have  scented  us,  and  our 
coming  to  see  them  at  work  would  have  been  in  vain.  As  it 
is  he  does  not  suspect  our  presence,  and  as  there  is  much 
work  to  be  done  he  soon  imagines  that  his  had  been  a  false 
alarm,  and  so  he  quietly  swims  back  to  his  stump  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  pond.  After  a  cautious  survey  and  intense  listen 
ing  he  becomes  satisfied  that  all  is  right,  and  then  with  two 
sharp,  loud  slaps  on  the  water  with  his  broad  tail  he  summons 
the  rest  to  work.  Very  quickly  do  they  respond. 


248  STOfilES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

The  quiet  waters  seem  to  boil,  almost,  as  twenty  or  thirty 
beavers  come  up  to  the  surface  and  swim  off  or  walk  off  to 
their  various  duties.  Some  of  them  are  cutting  into  logs 
some  large  trees  that  they  had  recently  cut  down.  Others 
are  rolling  or  dragging  logs  into  the  water,  and  then  float 
ing  them  down  to  increase  the  height  and  strength  of  the 
dam.  Others  at  the  dam  are  moving  and  packing  in  stones 
and  gravel  and  brush  and  mud  at  a  great  rate.  See  how 
carefully  those  two  are  piling  mud  on  that  big  fellow's 
broad  tail,  and  then  see  how  carefully  he  crawls  to  the 
proper  place  and  there  deposits  it  and  slaps  it  down  with 
his  tail,  which,  having  first  served  as  a  sled  on  which  to 
drag  it,  now  serves  as  a  mason's  trowel  to  pack  it  down. 
And  look  at  those  little  beavers.  It  looks  as  though  in 
mere  sport  only  they  are  busy.  It  may  seem  but  fun  to 
them,  but  theirs  is  an  important  work.  You  see  them  run 
ning  into  the  dense  underbrush  and  quickly  returning  with 
little  birch  or  willow  trees  about  an  inch  in  diameter  and 
from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  long.  Carefully  watch  their  move 
ments.  They  come  to  the  edge  of  the  shore,  and  then,  catch 
ing  the  little  trees  or  poles  in  their  mouths,  a  couple  of  feet  or 
so  from  the  end,  they  dive  with  all  the  force  possible  into  the 
water.  Down  they  go,  but  soon  the  beavers  come  up  alone. 
They  have  succeeded  in  their  work,  which  was  to  stick  those 
birches  or  willows  in  the  mud  so  that  they  will  remain  there. 
Away  they  go  for  more  saplings.  And  very  important  work 
this  is;  for  on  the  bark  of  those  young  trees  and  branches 
the  whole  colony  will  have  to  depend  for  their  living  dur 
ing  the  long,  cold  winter  which  will  soon  set  in.  The  older 
ones  will  complete  the  house  and  pond.  The  ice  will  form  a 
thick  covering ;  it  may  be  from  four  to  six  feet  over  the 
water.  Under  it  in  the  house  and  pond  the  beavers  are  to 
live  for  at  least  six  months.  The  only  door  their  house,  with 
its  two  feet  of  solid  walls,  has  is  the  one  under  the  water. 
Hence  their  only  supply  of  food  for  that  long  period  is  that 
which  the  industrious  younger  ones  stuck  in  mud.  When 


AND  NORTHERN-  CAMP-FIRES.  249 

in  the  spring  the  ice  melts  away  I  have  seen  as  much  as 
would  fill  several  wagons  of  these  sticks  floating  on  the  sur 
face,  from  which  the  beavers  had  eaten  the  bark,  which  is 
their  principal  food. 

In  all  probability  but  very  few  ladies  as  they  wrap  their 
warm,  luxurious  furs  around  them  have  any  very  clear  idea 
of  the  hardships,  as  well  as  the  skill,  necessary  on  the  part 
of  the  Indian  hunters  as,  in  the  dreary  forests,  in  the  bitter 
cold,  day  after  day  and  week  after  week,  they  pursue  their 
lonely  and  dangerous  vocation. 

Very  clever  and  cunning  are  all  of  these  fur-bearing  animals, 
and  so  the  greatest  patience  and  most  thorough  knowledge 
of  their  various  habits  are  absolutely  essential  on  the  part  of 
those  Indians  who  would  excel  as  fur-hunters. 

The  lives  of  these  Indians  are  full  of  hardships  and  dangers. 
Into  the  most  remote  and  desolate  places  have  they  to  go  if 
they  would  find  the  animals  for  which  they  seek.  Among  the 
many  dangers  which  encompass  them  perhaps  the  greatest 
is  that  of  starvation.  While  rich  fur-bearing  animals  may 
abound  the  flesh  of  most  of  them  is  unfit  for  food.  To 
carry  in  supplies  to  regions  so  remote  is  an  impossibility. 
The  result  is  that  a  great  deal  of  the  time  has  to  be  spent 
in  hunting  the  deer  and  other  animals  whose  flesh  is  good 
for  food.  Some  years  these  are  not  numerous,  and  then 
there  is  want  and  suffering  and  even  starvation.  So  at  the 
best  these  Indian  fur-hunters  are  not  to  be  envied.  We 
have  known  cases  where,  when  the  deer  and  rabbits  failed, 
the  hunters  have  been  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  scraping 
the  fur  and  hair  off  their  beaver-skins  and  then  boiling 
them  for  food.  Some  winters  they  have  eaten  their  dogs, 
and  I  have  heard  of  cases  where  a  hunter  has  been  reduced 
to  such  extremity  that  he  toasted  and  then  ate  his  deer-skin 
moccasins! 

In  the  face  of  these  risks  and  hardships — and  they  are  not 
uncommon — it  does  seem  hard  that  in  view  of  the  high  prices 
that  people  have  to  pay  for  their  furs  so  little  should  go  to 


250  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

those  who  have  so  often  to  put  their  lives  in  jeopardy  and 
endure  such  hardships  to  capture  them. 

There  is  an  impression  abroad  that  the  Indian  is  a  very 
indolent,  lazy,  and  shiftless  creature.  Where  spoiled  by 
contact  with  unprincipled  whites  or  where  treated  only  as  a 
"ward  of  the  nation,"  there  is,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  too  much 
truth  in  the  charge.  But  out  in  these  northern  regions  there 
are  large  numbers  of  them  who  in  their  way  are  just  as  in 
dustrious  and  attentive  to  their  daily  concerns  as  are  their 
white  brethren  anywhere.  It  was  often  a  great  pleasure  to 
be  associated  with  them,  and  to  see  the  skill  and  cleverness 
with  which  they  did  their  work. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  251 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

BLACK  BEARS EASILY  TAMED BEARS  FISHING A  TAME  BEAR 

ROCKING  A  BABY'S  HAMMOCK — AX  ADVENTURE  WITH  ONE 

—  SHOOTING  IT  IX  THE  RIVER MARVELOUS  CLEVERNESS 

OF  THE  INDIANS DINNER  OF  BEAR'S  RIBS SUPPER    OF 

BEAR'S    PAWS — STORY    OF    MIS-MIS    THE    OLD    INDIAN- 
CONDEMNED    TO    DIE AIDED    BY  THE    BOYS,    CAPTURED  A 

GRIZZLY  BEAR BECAUSE  OF  HIS  BRAVERY  THE  SENTENCE 

OF  HIS  DEATH  WAS  REVOKED LIVED  TO  BECOME  A  CHRIS 
TIAN. 

fTIHE  country  between  Norway  and  Nelson  River  is  very 
JL  wild  and  desolate.  In  its  dreary  forests  many  wild 
animals  are  found,  and  so  its  hunting-grounds  are  much 
prized  by  the  Indians.  More  black  and  silver  foxes  are 
here  obtained  than  in  any  other  portion  of  the  world.  Their 
very  beautiful  skins  are  rated,  at  times,  as  the  most  costly  of 
all  furs.  Black  bears  are  numerous,  and  are  hunted  by  the 
natives  both  for  their  flesh — which  they  prize  as  an  article  of 
food — and  also  for  their  warm,  shaggy  skins.  Bears'  grease 
was  used  by  us  at  the  mission  as  a  substitute  for  lard,  and  it 
answered  admirably.  The  most  profitable  time  to  kill  bears 
is  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  just  before  they  den  up  for  the 
winter.  Then  their  fur  is  in  prime  condition  and  the  oil 
receptacle  around  the  heart  is  full  of  fat.  These  bears  live 
on  roots,  grubs,  berries,  and  small  animals.  They  are  also 
very  expert  at  catching  fish.  The  only  kinds  they  succeed  in 
capturing  are  those  that  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  crowd 
up  the  shallow  streams  or  along  the  marshy  shores,  such  as 
the  mullet  or  suckers,  jack-fish,  pike,  and  white-fish.  They 
even  at  times  succeed  in  capturing  the  sturgeon,  which,  in 
looking  for  a  spawning-place,  has  so  crowded  himself  up  into 
20 


252  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

the  shallows  that  his  back  becomes  exposed  to  the  view  of 
watchful  bruin. 

When  in  the  spring  of  the  year  the  bear  gets  hungry 
for  a  dinner  of  fish  he  looks  out  for  a  place  where  they  are 
swimming  up  the  shallow  stream  near  the  shore.  Then  he 
sits  quietly  down  on  his  haunches  as  near  the  water  as  possi 
ble.  When  one  comes  swimming  along  near  enough  to  be 
reached  he  quickly  pushes  his  hand-like  fore-paw  under  it, 
and  with  a  sudden  jerk  throws  it  over  his  head  on  the  shore. 
When  fish  are  numerous,  as  they  are  in  spawning-time,  in 
those  great  northern  streams  and  lakes,  the  bear  will  some 
times  get  fifteen  or  twenty  in  a  short  time  in  this  cunning 
way.  Once,  when  traveling  in  a  birch  canoe  with  a  couple 
of  Indians,  we  disturbed  a  bear  that  had  adopted  the  follow 
ing  plan:  He  had  ensconced  himself  on  a  flat  rock,  between 
which  and  the  shore  a  rapid  little  stream,  two  or  three  feet 
wide,  was  running.  As  the  fish  attempted  to  get  up  this 
stream  the  bear  would  put  one  of  his  paws  under  it  and 
skillfully  toss  it  from  him  on  the  shore.  As  we  were  not 
looking  for  bear  when  we  turned  the  sharp  corner  and  came 
upon  him,  he,  after  giving  a  growl  of  annoyance  at  our 
disappointing  him  of  his  supper,  sprang  from  the  stone  on  to 
the  main-land  and  plunged  into  the  forest  ere  we  were  ready 
to  fire.  However,  he  left  us  fish  for  supper.  These  black 
bears  are  easily  tamed  when  caught  very  young. 

At  Norway  House  the  young  clerks  in  the  employ  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  had  a  bear  so  tame  that  they 
frequently  harnessed  him  up  to  a  dog-sled.  He  seemed  to 
think  it  great  sport  to  gallop  over  to  the  Indian  village,  two 
miles  away,  with  two  or  three  persons  on  the  sled. 

An  Indian  family  had  a  tame  bear  of  which  they  were  very 
fond.  They  lived  in  a  birch-bark  wigwam,  and  the  bear  had 
his  share  of  the  little  home.  He  was  very  gentle,  and  the 
children  played  with  him  as  they  would  with  a  large  dog. 

In  these  wigwams  the  baby's  principal  resting-place  is  in  a 
little  hammock  that  swings  from  the  tent-poles.  One  day 


A   NOVEL   NURSE. 


AND  NORTHERN  GAMP-FIRES.  253 

all  the  members  of  this  family  owning  this  tame  bear  were 
away  with  the  exception  of  the  mother  and  the  baby.  The 
supply  of  water  being  exhausted,  the  mother  was  obliged  to 
go  down  to  the  river,  which  was  not  far  away,  for  some.  She 
left  her  babe  in  the  hammock  in  the  tent  and  the  bear  sleep 
ing  near  it  on  the  ground.  When  she  returned  she  found 
the  bear  sitting  up  on  his  hind  legs,  and,  using  his  fore-paws 
as  hands,  was  gently  rocking  the  child.  The  babe  was 
smiling  now,  but  the  tears  on  its  cheeks  told  that  it  had  been 
crying.  This  seems  to  have  excited  the  bear's  sympathy,  and 
to  have  prompted  him  to  endeavor  in  the  usual  way  to  soothe 
and  quiet  the  little  one;  and  he  had  succeeded. 

Bears  are  very  fond  of  berries.  I  have  often  been  amused 
and  interested  as,  through  a  good  field-glass,  I  have  watched 
the  dexterity  with  which  they  would,  with  their  tongue  and 
hand-like  paws,  gather  them  in.  They  are  very  quick  at 
hearing  and  full  of  cunning.  These  northern  black  bears, 
unlike  the  grizzlies,  are  very  timid,  and  much  prefer  to  escape 
into  the  deep  dark  forests  than  to  risk  an  encounter  with  man. 
They  are  very  clever  in  escaping  from  the  hunters.  And 
more  than  once  when,  like  the  Irishman's  flea,  we  thought  we 
had  our  hands  upon  him  we  found  he  was  not  there.  Still, 
human  skill  and  the  thorough  knowledge  of  their  habits 
have,  backed  up  by  good  weapons,  enabled  the  Indians  to  suc 
ceed  in  killing  them  in  large  numbers.  We  killed  a  bear  once 
in  a  queer  way  while  on  a  trip  to  the  encampment  of  the  Nelson 
River  Indians.  Two  clever  natives  were  my  canoe-men. 
So  many  and  difficult  were  the  portages  and  other  obstruc 
tions  that  we  were  twelve  days  in  making  the  journey  down. 
We  carried  no  tent  and  but  little  food.  But  we  had  a  good 
breech-loading  rifle,  a  couple  of  shot-guns,  and  plenty  of 
ammunition.  We  slept  on  the  smooth  granite  rocks  at  night 
and  lived  on  the  game  we  happened  to  kill.  As  in  the 
adventure  there  was  so  clearly  developed  the  cleverness  of 
the  Indians  in  reading  the  bear's  intentions  and  so  completely 
checkmating  him,  I  will  try  to  describe  the  aflair. 


254  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

We  were  not  far  from  Split  Lake,  and  were  paddling  down 
a  large,  beautiful  river.  Our  supply  of  food  for  dinner  was 
very  limited,  and  so  we  were  delighted  to  see  a  large  flock 
of  ducks  alight  down  in  the  reeds  on  the  left  side  of  an  island 
but  a  short  distance  ahead  of  us.  We  noiselessly  paddled 
our  canoe  around  the  head  of  the  island,  and  keeping  close  to 
the  shore  we  cautiously  approached  them.  Just  as  we  were 
getting  within  gunshot,  and  the  Indian  in  the  front  of  the 
canoe  was  about  to  fire,  I  happened  to  look  up  to  the  bank 
of  the  island  along  which  we  were  now  so  quietly  gliding. 
Fancy  my  astonishment  at  seeing  there,  within  fifteen  or 
twenty  yards  of  us,  an  enormous  black  bear.  He  seemed 
about  as  much  startled  as  I  was,  and  from  our  proximity 
seemed  afraid  to  run  away.  So  he  rose  up  on  his  hind  legs 
and  began  snuffing  the  air  and  growling  at  a  great  rate.  I 
quietly  said  to  the  Indian  who  was  about  to  fire  at  the  ducks, 
"Never  mind  the  ducks;  take  the  rifle  and  shoot  the  bear." 
Instead  of  doing  this,  or  even  firing  at  the  ducks,  he  instantly 
put  down  his  gun,  and,  taking  up  his  paddle,  he  and  the  other 
Indian  quickly  and  quietly  paddled  the  canoe  backward. 
Back,  back  we  went,  until  we  were  out  of  sight  of  ducks  and 
bear,  and  just  opposite  the  point  or  end  of  this  long,  narrow 
island.  Not  until  we  reached  a  place  where  they  could  see 
the  river  on  both  sides  of  the  island  did  they  stop.  Here, 
resting  on  their  paddles,  they  began  watching  and  listening. 

"  Why  did  you  not  shoot  that  bear  when  I  told  you  to  ?  " 
I  asked  of  the  man  in  front  of  me. 

"  Wait,  missionary,"  he  replied.     "  We  will  kill  that  bear." 

11  I  think  paddling  away  from  a  bear  is  a  queer  way  to  kill 
him,"  was  my  answer. 

Good-naturedly  he  replied,  "Wait  a  little,  and  you  will 
see  how  we  do  it  when  we  get  a  bear  where  that  one  is." 

Carefully  looking  down  the  two  sides  of  the  island  and 
seeing  where  the  river  was  narrowest,  they  said,  "  Do  you 
see  that  place  there  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  do." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  255 

"  Well,"  they  answered,  "  in  a  short  time  we  will  shoot  the 
bear  in  that  place." 

Having  often  seen  their  skill  as  hunters  before,  I  thought 
my  best  plan  was  to  ask  no  more  questions  at  present,  but 
quietly  watch  their  operations.  We  had  not  to  wait  many 
minutes  in  our  little  craft  at  the  upper  end  of  the  island  be 
fore  we  heard  a  great  crashing  among  the  underbrush,  and 
then  the  bear  appeared  in  sight.  He  came  rushing  along  to 
the  end  of  the  island  as  near  to  us  as  he  could  get.  There 
he  rose  up  again  on  his  hind  legs,  and,  showing  his  glittering 
teeth,  began  growling  fiercely  at  us.  As  he  was  not  more 
than  a  hundred  feet  away  I  wanted  to  fire  at  him,  but  my 
good  fellows  said,  "Not  yet,  missionary;  we  can  do  bet 
ter  yet  with  him."  So  we  quietly  watched  him  as  he  stood 
there  snarling  at  us.  All  at  once  his  proud,  confident  spirit 
seemed  to  leave  him,  and  he  turned  round,  and  with  the  ac 
tions  of  a  cowardly  dog  rushed  back  into  the  dense  woods 
with  which  the  island  was  covered. 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  I  noticed  that  my  Indians  were 
beginning  to  get  excited.  They  quickly  paddled  the  canoe 
around  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  island,  so  as  to  have  a 
good  view  of  that  narrow  channel  in  the  river  which  they 
had  pointed  out  to  me.  It  was  perhaps  half  a  mile  wide. 
Here  we  had  to  wait  but  a  few  minutes  before  we  heard  a 
great  splash  in  the  water,  and  then  we  saw,  not  many  hun 
dred  feet  from  us,  the  bear  swimming  as  hard  as  he  could. 
He  was  making  a  gallant  effort  to  get  from  that  island  to  the 
main-land.  As  we  so  quickly  paddled  toward  him  he  turned 
back  toward  the  island.  Seeing  this  wre  retreated,  and  he 
turned  again  for  the  distant  shore.  We  let  him  get  out  a 
good  distance  from  the  island,  and,  using  our  paddles,  we 
soon  overtook  him.  My  men,  conscious  of  their  ability  to 
keep  out  of  his  way,  paddled  up  so  close  alongside  of  him 
that  they  could,  and  did,  frequently  tease  him  with  their 
paddles.  The  bear  resented  this,  of  course,  and  once  when 
we  were  very  close  he  made  a  sudden  dash  for  our  canoe.  I 


256  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

confess  I  felt  my  back  hair  (I  haven't  much  on  the  top  of  my 
head)  suddenly  manifesting  a  desire  to  get  up  on  the  per 
pendicular  just  then  ;  for  the  angry  brute  succeeded  in  get 
ting  his  paws  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  side  of  our  frail 
birch  canoe.  But  the  Indians  only  laughed  out  their  merry 
Ho,  ho!  and  skillfully  glided  away.  The  bear  never  tried 
to  follow  us  any  distance.  His  object  was  to  reach  the 
main-land.  Across  about  three  fourths  of  that  river  did  my 
Indians  tease  that  bear  and  play  with  him  as  a  cat  does  with 
a  mouse.  When  nearly  across  one  of  the  men  said,  "  Mis 
sionary,  did  you  ever  kill  a  bear  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  replied.  "  I  have  not  been  long  enough  in  your 
country  to  know  much  about  such  game." 

"  Well,  then,"  they  answered,  "  here  is  a  good  chance  to 
begin;  so  let  us  see  you  shoot  this  one." 

"All  right!  "  I  said,  and  so,  taking  the  rifle,  I  stood  up  in 
the  canoe  to  fire.  The  river  was  very  rapid  and  our  little 
boat  was  tossing  on  its  swift  current.  As  I  fired,  owing  to 
my  excitement  and  to  the  fact  that  I  did  not  allow  for  the 
swinging  of  the  canoe,  I  missed  the  bear.  The  bullet  just 
grazed  the  top  of  his  head  and  plunged  into  the  river  beyond. 
My  Indians  laughed,  and  roguishly  looking  at  each  other 
quietly  muttered  the  word  " Monyas"  the  Cree  for  "green 
horn."  Another  cartridge,  however,  was  soon  in,  and  this 
time  there  was  no  miss.  The  bullet  went  crashing  through 
his  brain,  instantly  killing  him.* 

We  dragged  him  ashore,  and  the  Indians  soon  skinned  him 
and  cut  up  the  best  part  of  his  carcass  to  carry  along  with 
us  for  food.  The  spare-ribs  were  cut  out  and  roasted,  there 
and  then,  at  a  fire  which  we  kindled  on  the  shore.  While 
picking  these  bones  at  our  midday  meal  I  asked  my  Indians 
to  tell  me  why  they  adopted  the  plan  they  did  in  killing  that 
bear.  They  said: 

"  If  we  had  fired  at  him  when  we  first  saw  him  we  might 
have  only  badly  wounded  him,  as  it  is  hard  to  kill  a  bear 
*  See  Frontispiece. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  257 

with  one  shot  if  you  do  not  hit  him  in  the  brain  or  in 
the  heart.  Then,  if  badly  wounded,  and  he  had  got  away 
from  us,  he  would  have  hid  in  the  dense,  dark  underbrush  and 
trees  of  that  island,  and  it  would  have  been  dangerous  work 
to  follow  him  up  without  a  dog  to  give  us  notice  when  we 
were  close  to  him." 

"  Why,  then,  did  you  so  quickly  paddle  away  from  him  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"  Because,"  they  answered,  "  a  bear  is  like  a  cowardly  dog. 
He  comes  out  and  growls  at  you,  and  if  you  run  from  him 
he  thinks  you  are  very  much  afraid  of  him,  and  he  will  fol 
low  you  up.  So  when  we  first  saw  that  bear  he  was  very 
much  surprised  to  see  us,  and  before  he  got  afraid  we  ran 
away  from  him.  This  made  him  think  that  he  was  very 
brave  and  we  were  very  much  afraid,  and  that  was  why, 
when  we  paddled  back  to  the  end  of  the  island,  he  came 
rushing  out  to  the  point  and  growled  so  bravely  at  us." 

"  Why  did  you  not  want  me  to  shoot  him  then  ?"  I  asked. 

"  For  the  same  reason  we  did  not  fire  at  the  first,"  was  the 
reply.  Then  they  continued:  "  You  saw,  when  he  found 
we  did  not  run  away,  but  sat  there  looking  at  him,  he  got 
afraid,  and  turned  round  and  ran  back  into  the  woods. 
When  we  saw  that  he  was  frightened,  as  we  wanted  him  to 
be,  we  knew  that  he  would  soon  try  to  get  off  from  that  isl 
and,  although  it  is  a  large  one,  as  bears  know  they  are  not 
safe  on  such  places.  Then  we  know  that  when  bears  get 
frightened  on  islands  they  always  choose  the  spot  where  the 
river  or  lake  is  narrowest,  and  that  is  just  what  this  bear 
did,  as  we  told  you." 

I  listened  to  their  words  with  about  as  much  pleasure  as  I 
had  witnessed  their  clever  actions.  Some  people  say  that  the 
Indians  are  inferior  in  intelligence  to  the  whites.  My  ex 
perience  has  been  that  along  certain  lines  they  are  highly 
educated,  and  could  easily  worst  in  a  great  many  ways  those 
who  so  glibly  traduce  and  belittle  them. 

Soon  after  dinner  we  again  pushed  out  our  canoe  from  the 


258  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

shore  and  resumed  our  journey.  That  evening  at  the  camp- 
fire,  as  my  Indians  were  roasting  the  bear's  feet,  which  are 
considered  a  great  delicacy,  we  had  from  them  a  variety  of 
stories  and  adventures.  One  which  they  told  about  an  old 
Indian  grandfather,  Mis-mis,  was  so  very  interesting  that  I 
will  here  record  it. 

Mis-mis  lived  in  one  of  the  Indian  villages  much  farther 
west,  where  the  people  were  still  heathens,  and  consequently 
very  cruel.  One  of  their  wicked  habits  was  that  just  as  soon 
as  the  men  or  women  grew  so  old  and  helpless  that  they 
could  not  snare  rabbits  or  catch  fish  they  were  in  some  quick 
way  put  out  of  existence.  The  same  thing  was  done  to  a 
child  who  happened  to  become  so  injured  as  likely  to  be 
badly  crippled  or  helpless.  In  their  cruel,  heartless  way  the 
people  said  they  had  better  kill  them  at  once  than  have  them 
grow  up  to  be  a  burden  to  themselves  and  their  relatives. 

Mis-mis,  who  had  been  a  great  hunter  and  warrior  in  his  day, 
had  grown  old  and  was  no  longer  able  to  go  on  the  long  hunt 
ing  excursions  and  come  back  loaded  with  game.  While  still 
quite  free  from  sickness,  yet,  on  account  of  his  great  age, 
he  was  in  a  measure  dependent  upon  the  supplies  of  food 
brought  in  by  the  younger  Indians. 

One  summer  the  buffaloes  were  disappearing  very  fast,  and 
there  was  but  little  food  to  be  obtained.  The  hunters  were 
sullen  and  discontented,  and  one  day  when  starting  off  on 
a  hunting  excursion  we  overheard  them  saying  that  when 
they  came  back  they  would  start  Mis-mis  off  on  the  journey 
to  the  happy  hunting-grounds.  In  some  way  or  other  Mis- 
mis  got  hold  of  the  information  that  his  life  was  in  danger, 
and  it  was  not  very  pleasant  news.  True,  in  the  days  when 
he  was  a  great  hunter  he  had  been  cruel  and  heartless,  and 
had  been  guilty  of  killing  others  who  were  old  or  helpless,  but 
now,  when  younger  men  thought  his  turn  had  come,  he  was 
quite  indignant  at  it.  The  more  he  thought  about  it  the 
more  angry  he  got.  The  idea  that  he,  the  mighty  warrior 
who  had  come  home  with  the  reeking  scalps  of  his  enemies, 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  259 

was  now  to  be  strangled  like  some  good-for-nothing  old  squaw ! 
Had  he  not  been  able  to  shoot  the  arrow  clear  through  the 
body  of  the  buffalo  and  return  to  the  camp  laden  down  with 
the  choicest  meat  ?  Why  had  he  not  died  in  battle  long  ago, 
rather  than  come  to  this  ?  So,  instead  of  sitting  down  in  sul 
len  indifference  and  stoically  awaiting  his  fate,  he  determined 
that  as  he  was  to  die  he  would  die  in  a  manner  worthy  of  his 
record  as  a  brave  warrior  and  a  mighty  hunter.  He  resolved 
that  he  must  die  in  mortal  conflict  with  some  hostile  foe  or 
in  battle  with  some  savage  beast. 

While  brooding  over  his  resolve  the  opportunity  for  carry 
ing  it  out  suddenly  presented  itself  to  him  one  day  while  the 
hunters  were  all  away.  Back  of  the  village  in  which  he  lived 
in  the  deep  ravines,  called  "  coolies,"  grew  large  quantities 
of  sweet  berries  called  by  the  Indians  Sas-ke-too-me-nah-nah 
Menisuk.  These  berries  grow  on  bushes,  and  the  bears  are 
exceedingly  fond  of  them. 

One  day  as  Mis-mis  sat  in  gloomy  thought  in  his  little 
wigwam  a  party  of  boys  came  rushing  in  with  the  news  that 
while  they  were  out  in  one  of  the  ravines  picking  berries  they 
saw  not  very  far  away  a  large  grizzly  bear.  Mis-mis  sprang 
up  with  joy.  Here  was  his  opportunity.  He  would  die 
fighting  that  great  bear.  So,  clothing,  or  rather  unclothing, 
himself  for  the  conflict,  and  sticking  as  many  feathers  in  his 
hair  as  he  imagined  he  had  slain  enemies  in  battle,  he  took 
his  tomahawk  and  sallied  forth  for  the  battle  unto  death.  Of 
course  he  expected  nothing  but  death  from  the  monster,  as  the 
killing  of  a  full-grown  grizzly  bear  by  a  great  hunter  is  ever 
considered  equal  to  the  feat  of  slaying  a  great  warrior  of 
another  tribe  in  a  hand-to-hand  conflict. 

Mis-mis  had  not  far  to  go  before  he  caught  sight  of  the  sav 
age  beast,  now  engaged,  however,  in  the  harmless  work  of 
picking  and  eating  berries.  All  bears  seem  fond  of  fruit,  and 
with  their  hand-like  paws  they  can  pick  them  off  the  bushes 
very  cleverly.  Mis-mis  resolved  to  have  the  thing  over  as 
quickly  as  possible,  and  so,  while  loudly  singing  his  death- 


260  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

song,  he  hurried  bravely  toward  him.  The  grizzly  seemed 
amazed  at  his  audacity,  and,  enraged  at  being  interrupted 
in  his  berry  feast — for  bears  are  very  quick-tempered — he 
at  once  came  to  meet  him.  If  he  had  been  a  black  bear  in  all 
probability  he  would  have  run  away,  but  grizzlies  seldom  run 
from  any  foe.  When  the  bear  had  come  within  striking  dis 
tance  Mis-mis,  who  had  resolved  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as 
possible,  raised  his  glittering  tomahawk  and  struck  as  sav 
agely  as  he  could  at  the  bear,  wThich  had  quickly  riseu  up  on 
his  haunches  before  him.  Bears  are  skillful  boxers.  They 
can  parry  the  blows  aimed  at  them  like  trained  pugilists,  and 
this  enormous  old  fellow  was  no  exception.  So  when  Mis- 
mis  struck  at  him  he  struck  out  with  one  of  his  paws  so 
cleverly  that  he  knocked  the  sharp  tomahawk  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  old  Indian  with  such  force  that  it  went  flying  through 
the  air  and  landed  in  the  grass  yards  away.  It  looked  hope 
less  for  poor  old  Mis-mis  now.  There  he  stood,  disarmed  be 
fore  the  angry,  savage  bear.  But  he  had  come  out  to  die,  and 
while  sorry  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  have  at  least  wounded 
the  bear  that  was  to  kill  him  he  resolved  to  stand  his  ground 
bravely  and  receive  the  terrible  stroke  of  the  paw  that  would 
about  tear  him  to  pieces.  Black  bears  in  close  conflict  try  to 
hug  their  victims  to  death,  but  grizzlies  strike  out  with  their 
fore-paws  as  they  rise  up  on  their  hind  legs.  In  this  way  they 
can  with  their  terrible  paws,  armed  with  claws  larger  than 
the  fingers  of  a  man's  hand,  strike  down  a  horse  or  a  buffalo. 
Great  was  Mis-mis's  astonishment  to  find  that,  when  he  re 
ceived  the  blow  of  the  bear  that  he  thought  was  to  tear  him 
in  pieces,  while  the  weight  of  it  fairly  staggered  him  it  did 
not  even  scratch  him.  The  reason  was  the  claws  were  all 
gone,  and  so  the  bear's  paw  was  only  like  a  great  ball  of  fur. 
Quickly  recovering  himself,  the  old  warrior,  with  his  blood 
getting  up,  clinched  his  fist  and  hit  the  bear,  and  got  another 
blow  in  return.  Thus  it  went  on,  fists  against  an  old  bear's 
paws  robbed  of  the  claws.  Then  a  thought  came  into  the 
head  of  the  old  man,  and  it  was  this:  "I  will  capture  this  old 


MIS-MIS   AND    OLD    GRIZZLY. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  261 

bear,  and  thus  show  the  hunters  that  I  am  worth  something 
yet."  So  he  jumped  back  and  ran  away  as  fast  as  he  could. 
The  old  bear  did  not  chase  him  very  far,  and  soon  returned 
to  his  berries. 

When  Mis-mis  reached  the  camp  he  told  the  boys  about 
this  old  bear  that  had  lost  all  his  claws,  and  how  it  was 
possible  for  them  to  capture  him.  Under  his  guidance  they 
entered  eagerly  into  the  attack,  for  were  they  not  the  sons  of 
hunters  and  warriors  longing  for  the  time  and  opportunities 
when  they  could  emulate  the  deeds  of  the  bravest  of  their 
tribe?  So,  leaving  behind  them  their  bows  and  arrows,  they 
took  only  their  lassos,  which  are  made  of  strong  green  hide 
and  fixed  with  a  running  noose  or  slip-knot  at  one  end.  The 
other  end  is  tied  to  the  belt  of  the  person  using  it.  The  boys 
as  well  as  the  men  become  very  skillful  in  throwing  these 
lassos.  Accompanied  by  about  a  dozen  of  these  boys,  armed 
only  with  their  lassos,  Mis-mis  returned  to  the  scene  of  his 
conflict,  and  after  a  little  search  they  observed  the  bear  a 
short  distance  away,  again  eating  berries.  As  quietly  as  pos 
sible  they  crawled  through  the  grass  and  surrounded  him. 
Then  at  a  given  signal  each  boy  sprang  up,  and  almost  before 
the  bear  realized  that  he  was  attacked  the  lassos  began 
whizzing  through  the  air  and  falling  over  his  head  and  tight 
ening  on  his  neck.  He  plunged  this  way  and  that  way,  but 
all  in  vain.  The  sturdy  boys  held  bravely  on,  and  each  strug 
gle  only  more  securely  tightened  the  slip-knots  on  his  neck. 
When  he  found  he  could  not  shake  the  things  off  he  put  up 
one  of  his  paws,  and,  pulling  some  of  the  lassos  in  his  mouth, 
tried  to  bite  them  off.  But  as  he  had  lost  most  of  his  teeth, 
as  well  as  his  claws,  he  could  not  succeed  in  cutting  any  of 
them  off,  as  they  are  made  of  very  tough  leather,  and  the 
boys  kept  jerking  them  out  of  his  mouth.  Vainly  did  the 
old  grizzly  struggle  and  roar.  Mis-mis  and  the  boys  had  him 
securely  enough,  and  after  a  good  deal  of  excitement  and 
struggling  they  got  him  into  the  village,  to  the  consternation 
of  the  women  and  girls.  They  drove  down  some  strong 


262  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

stakes  on  different  sides  of  Mm  and  tied  him  down  so  securely 
that  he  could  not  get  away.  When  the  hunters  returned 
great  was  their  excitement  at  this  capture.  Here  was  a  feat 
never  equaled  in  the  history  of  the  tribe — a  live  grizzly 
captured  and  tethered  with  lassos  in  the  midst  of  their  vil 
lage. 

A  great  council  was  called.  Mis-mis  was  voted  to  be  a  brave 
man  still.  Mis-mis  was  not  to  die ;  the  threat  to  kill  him 
was  revoked,  and  it  was  decided  that  as  long  as  there  was 
food  in  the  camp  old  Mis-mis  was  to  have  his  share.  Then  the 
grizzly  was  killed,  and  there  was  a  great  feast. 

Soon  after  the  missionaries  arrived  at  this  village  and 
preached  the  Gospel  of  peace  and  good- will.  The  people  be 
came  Christians,  and  now,  as  every-where  when  the  Gospel 
of  the  Son  of  God  is  accepted,  the  old  and  feeble  and  crip 
pled  are  kindly  cared  for,  and  there  will  never  be  a  return 
to  those  old  cruel,  sinful  times  when  it  was  considered  a 
crime  worthy  of  death  to  grow  old. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  MOOSE-DEER VALUABLE    TO    THE    INDIANS METHODS  OF 

CAPTURE BIG  TOM5S   CAMP-FIRE    STORY HIS    METHOD  OF 

HUNTING    THEM THE     REINDEER MIGRATORY     HABITS 

FOND    OF     SWIMMING EASILY     KILLED     IN    THE     LAKES 

WOMEN    HUNTERS A 'TRAGIC    STORY THREE  LIVES    LOST 

BY    THE     REINDEER     SMASHING    THE     CANOE — WANTED,   A 

CHRISTIAN    WIFE SUCCESSFUL    IN    THE    UNDERTAKING 

A  SHORT    COURTSHIP    WITH    VERY    HAPPY    RESULTS. 

OF  the  several  varieties  of  deer  which  abound  in  the  north 
ern  part  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  the  moose  is  the 
largest  and  the  one  most  highly  prized  both  by  Indian  and 
white  hunters.  He  is  also  found  in  the  State  of  Maine  and 
in  the  Province  of  New  Brunswick.  Moose  have  been  found 
standing  over  seventeen  hands  high,  and,  when  in  good  con 
dition,  have  yielded  about  as  mucli  meat  as  a  large,  fat  ox. 
Their  enormous  horns  are  very  broad  and  heavy,  yet  when 
they  are  alarmed  and  wish  to  retreat  in  silence,  which  is  not 
always  the  case,  they  can  effect  their  purpose  with  marvelous 
cleverness,  no  matter  how  dense  may  be  the  forest  through 
which  they  glide.  Throwing  back  his  head  so  that  his  ant 
lers  seem  to  rest  on  his  neck,  the  moose  can  flit  away  among 
the  trees  without  breaking  a  twig  or  branch. 

The  hide,  which  is  much  thicker  than  ordinary  buckskin, 
when  well  tanned,  makes  the  best  of  moccasins  and  the  warm 
est  of  leather  suits.  The  preparation  of  the  moose-skin, 
which  is  generally  the  work  of  the  Indian  women,  ere  it  is 
considered  fit  for  use,  is  a  work  of  great  labor  and  patience, 
and  requires  a  good  deal  of  time  and  skill.  First,  the  coarse, 
thick  hair,  which  is  very  brittle  and  inelastic,  is  carefully 
scraped  off  by  a  chisel-like  instrument  made  out  of  the  shin- 
21 


264  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

bone  of  a  reindeer.  Then  the  skin  is  again  stretched  in  a 
large  frame  and  scraped  and  rubbed  until  every  particle  of 
flesh  or  foreign  substance  is  removed  from  it.  Then,  to  aid 
in  the  tanning,  the  brains  of  the  deer  are  carefully  rubbed  in, 
after  which  the  skin  is  subjected  to  an  amount  of  rubbing, 
pulling,  and  scraping  that  would  wear  out  the  patience  of  any 
white  tanner.  However,  the  result  is  a  skin  so  tough  and  en 
during  that  nothing  can  tear  it. 

To  make  it  so  that  it  will  always  remain  soft  and  pliant 
and  acquire  the  valuable  property  of  being  uninjured  by  the 
sun's  rays  or  the  drenching  rains,  another  operation  has  to  be 
performed  upon  it  as  well  as  upon  all  kinds  of  deer-skins. 
This  is  called  smoking  the  skins,  and  is  done  in  various  ways, 
according  to  the  facilities  of  the  operators.  Mary,  the  old 
Indian  woman  nurse,  who  made  all  our  moccasins,  used  a 
large  kettle,  in  which  she  placed  pieces  of  a  peculiar  kind 
of  rotten  wood,  which,  when  ignited,  made  a  most  pungent 
smoke  but  no  flame.  Over  this  she  would  fasten  the  mouth 
of  the  skin,  which  she  had  sewed  up  into  the  form  of  a  sack. 
The  dense  smoke  poured  into  this  bag-like  affair,  and,  not 
being  able  to  get  out,  soon  permeated  the  wThole  concern,  and 
the  skin  was  tanned.  When  a  number  were  to  be  prepared 
in  this  way  a  hole  would  be  dug  in  the  ground  and  filled 
with  burning  pieces  of  this  rotten  wood.  Over  this  smoking 
mass  the  skins  were  carefully  placed,  and  then  the  whole  w^as 
covered  over  by  a  tent,  which  was  made  so  tight  that  none 
of  the  smoke  could  escape.  Fora  day  or  two  the  skins  were 
left  in  this  way,  and  then  were  generally  considered  to  be  in 
prime  condition  for  various  purposes.  For  nine  years  I  wore 
a  coat  made  out  of  moose-skin  tanned  in  this  way.  It  was- 
then  still  considered  to  be  good  enough  in  which  to  appear 
before  enthusiastic  crowds  at  Ocean  Grove  and  elsewhere  in 
America,  and  also  on  the  platform  at  some  of  the  great  May 
meetings  in  Exeter  Hal],  London,  and  in  many  other  places 
in  England.  It  is  good  for  at  least  nine  years  of  hard  service 
yet,  and  nothing  would  give  its  owner  greater  joy  than  to- 


AXD  NORTHERN-  CAMP-FIRES. 


265 


have  the  pleasure  of  again  fastening  it  around  him  with  an 
Indian  sash,  and  once  more  for  years  go  back  to  that  same- 
arduous  but  delightful  work  among  these  poor  but  grateful 
Indians. 

The  moose,  although  so  large  and  powerful,  is  one  of  the- 
most  cautious  and  timid  of  animals.  Any  unusual  sound, 
such  as  the  cough  of  the  hunter  or  the  snapping  of  a  stick 


A  FLEET  TROTTER. 


under  his  feet,  even  when  the  high  winds  may  be  bringing 
down  the  dry  branches,  will  alarm  him.  Hence  the  greatest 
possible  caution  has  to  be  observed  by  those  approaching  him 
if  they  would  get  within  range.  If  once  alarmed  and  started 
the  moose  generally  goes  many  miles  ere  he  stops.  He  has 
not  the  graceful  movements  of  some  others  of  the  deer  tribe. 
His  gait  seems  to  be  an  awkward,  swinging  trot,  but,  uncouth 


266  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

as  lie  looks,  no  Indian  hunter,  be  he  ever  so  fleet  of  foot, 
thinks  of  trying  to  overtake  him. 

The  moose,  when  captured  young,  can  be  easily  tamed. 
He  can  also  be  trained  to  trot  in  a  sulky  or  cart,  and  there 
holds  his  own  with  some  of  the  fleetest  trotters  in  the  world. 
An  acquaintance  of  the  writer  in  Trenton,  Canada,  had  one 
in  his  possession  for  years.  He  was  very  gentle,  thoroughly 
broken  in,  and  was  a  great  pet  among  the  hostlers  and 
drivers. 

Successful  hunters  of  the  moose  are  very  rare.  Many 
Indians  who  are  able  to  shoot  the  reindeer  and  other  animals 
often  fail  most  signally  in  their  efforts  to  get  within  range 
and  bring  down,  by  what  is  known  in  hunting  parlance  as 
honest  stalking,  this  most  wary  animal. 

Of  course,  many  of  them  are  easily  killed  in  winter,  when 
the  deep  snow  makes  it  possible  for  the  active  hunter,  on  his 
snow-shoes,  to  run  them  down.  Others  are  killed  by  the  use 
of  a  fire-light  in  the  head  of  a  canoe  or  skiff.  The  Indians 
say  that  the  moose,  generally  so  clever,  becomes  fascinated 
by  a  brilliant  light,  and  often  allows  a  cautious  hunter  to 
float  down  very  near  to  him,  if  he  keeps  very  still  and  the 
wind  is  in  such  a  quarter  that  it  does  not  carry  the  scent  of 
the  hunter  to  the  deer. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year,  when  the  males  are  roaming  about, 
many  of  them  are  killed  by  the  clever  hunter  who  is  able  to 
imitate  the  call  of  the  female  moose.  Some  Indians  can  do 
this  with  the  unaided  voice,  so  great  are  their  powrers  of  imi 
tation,  but  the  majority  generally  provide  themselves  with  a 
horn  or  trumpet  of  birch-bark,  writh  which  they  can  the  more 
thoroughly  deceive  these  naturally  suspicious  animals. 

None  of  these  methods  of  hunting  the  moose  are  considered 
as  tests  of  skill  by  the  regular  hunters,  although  they  are 
often  adopted  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  the  valuable  ani 
mal.  What  is  considered  an  achievement  of  which  to  be 
proud  is  for  an  Indian  or  white  man  to  go  out  with  his  gun 
and  return  laden  W7ith  moose-meat,  which  he  has  obtained 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  207 

by  the  fair,  sportsman-like  way  of  getting  on  the  animal's 
track  and  then  following  it  up  until  he  was  clever  enough  to 
get  within  range  and  there  shoot  him. 

Ma-ma-nowatum,  01*  "  Big  Tom,"  as  we  generally  called 
him,  was  one  of  our  best  moose-hunters  at  Norway  House. 
When  he  returned  from  some  of  his  successful  hunts  it  used 
to  be  a  pleasure  to  hear  him  and  others  talk  of  their  suc 
cesses.  Big  Tom  was  the  steersman  who  let  me  fall  over  his 
head  once  in  Lake  Winnipeg,  after  offering  to  carry  me 
ashore  on  his  back.  Coming  in  one  day  from  a  successful 
hunt,  he  gave  us,  at  his  camp-fire,  in  his  slow,  measured 
style,  his  experience  in  killing  one  of  these  wary  old  moose. 
He  told  us  that  he  had  been  out  traveling  two  days  before 
he  struck  the  traces  of  the  animal.  He  found  where  the 
moose  had  been  browsing  the  tops  of  the  young  birch  and 
willows.  "  For,  you  know,  or  ought  to  know,"  he  added, 
"  that  the  moose  does  not  eat  hay  or  grass,  but  lives  on 
the  twigs,  branches,  sprouts,  and  leaves  of  the  trees.  He 
can  easily  bite  through  branches  an  inch  thick,  and  then, 
without  any  trouble,  can  crush  the  pieces  up  in  his  mouth 
ere  he  swallows  them.  He  is  also  fond  of  some  kinds  of 
ferns,  and  considers  the  shoots  and  roots  of  the  water-lilies 
very  great  delicacies,  for  which  he  will  dive  like  an  otter, 
bis:  and  awkward  as  he  looks."  Said  Tom: 

O 

"  It  was  quite  early  in  the  forenoon  when  I  found  out  where 
the  young  twigs  and  branches  had  been  bitten  off,  and,  as  the 
ends  were  dry — that  is,  there  was  none  of  the  saliva  upon, 
them — I  knew  the  moose  was  not  very  close  at  hand.  So  I 
followed  on,  keeping  as  low  down  as  I  could,  so  as  not  to  be 
easily  seen  if  he  were  near." 

As  he  found  the  track  went  this  way  and  that  way  he  said 
he  did  not  need  to  be  so  very,  very  careful  as  he  had  to  be 
soon  after.  Toward  noon  he  found  saliva  on  the  ends  of 
the  willow  and  birch  branches  left,  and  then  he  knew  the 
trying  time  had  come.  So  he  added: 

"  I  took  off  my  moccasins  and   most  of  my  clothes,  so  as 


268  STORIES  FR  OM  INDIA  N .  WIG  WA  MS 

to  get  more  easily  through  the  bushes  and  be  less  liable  to 
make  any  noise.  Soon  I  found  where  he  had  stopped  eat 
ing  and  had  begun  to  look  for  a  good  place  where  he  could 
have  his  noonday  sleep.  For,"  said  Tom,  with  a  merry 
twinkle  in  his  eye,  "  these  moose,  like  some  people,  love  to 
have  a  big  sleep  after  a  good  dinner.  But  he  knows  that  he 
has  enemies  who  would  like  to  catch  him  napping,  and  so  he 
makes  his  plans  that  he  may  escape,  if  possible.  This  is  the 
way  he  goes  to  work  :  When  he  is  eating  he  keeps  moving 
about  from  side  to  side,  wherever  he  sees  the  best  food,  but 
always  on  the  watch  for  enemies.  Now  he  stops  and  looks 
around,  and  finding  out  which  way  the  wind  is  he  generally 
goes  in  as  straight  a  line  as  possible,  for  perhaps  a  mile  or 
so,  in  the  most  open  part  of  the  forest,  and  then,  on  a  little 
hill  or  rising  ground,  with  some  dense  trees  or  underbrush 
behind  him,  he  turns  his  face  toward  the  line  of  straight 
trail  he  has  made,  and  there  he  lies  down,  with  his  big  ears 
fixed  to  catch  any  sound  from  the  rear,  while  his  eyes  and 
wonderful  nose  guard  the  path  he  has  just  made.  He  does 
not  depend  so  much  upon  his  eyes  as  upon  his  nose  to  tell 
him  of  any  taint  that  may  come  in  the  air  while  he  sleeps. 

"Now,"  said  Tom,  "if  a  greenhorn  should  be  out  hunting 
a  moose,  and  got  on  his  track  when  the  moose  was  eating, 
he  Avould,  perhaps,  follow  all  night,  and  do  well  as  long  as 
the  trail  went  zigzag;  but  it  would  never  do,  when  the  track 
began  to  go  straight,  to  get  on  it  and  begin  to  follow  it  up. 
That  would  be  just  the  thing  for  which  the  deer  had  pre 
pared  himself,  and  no  hunter  could  get  him,  for  the  moose 
would  detect  him  and  be  off  long  before  the  man  could  get 
within  range. 

"  No,  no  !  "  said  Tom,  as  he  laughed.  "  Lots  of  hunters, 
good  moose-hunters,  get  this  far,  and  then  they  fail,  and  so 
have  to  come  home,  their  belts  drawn  tight,  and  no  moose- 
meat." 

"  Well,  go  on,  Ma-ma-nowatum,  and  tell  us  what  you 
did." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  269 

After  he  had  pulled  a  few  vigorous  puffs  through  his  big- 
pipe  he  proceeded  : 

"  As  soon  as  I  saw  that  the  twigs  and  branches  were  not 
bitten  off  I  knew  that  the  moose  had  gone  away  to  have  his 
noon  sleep,  and  that  perhaps  even  now  he  was  looking  to 
ward  me,  although  too  far  away  to  see  me  yet.  So  I 
dropped  flat  on  the  ground,  very  quiet,  and  thought  what  to 
do.  I  was  glad  the  wind  had  nearly  gone  down.  I  studied 
the  way  of  the  land,  and  then  I  crawled  back,  where  I  could 
get  behind  a  big  tree,  and  there  I  thought  some  more.  Then 
from  behind  that  tree  I  looked  away  along  the  track,  and  far 
off  I  saw  a  little  hill,  perhaps  half  a  mile  away,  with  some 
dense  bushes.  I  said  to  myself,  e  Mr.  Moose  is  sleeping  there, 
and  there  I  must  try  and  kill  him.'  But  of  course  I  was  not 
sure,  and  so,  after  fixing  my  gun  all  right,  I  began  crawling 
on,  keeping  some  distance  from  the  track  the  deer  had  made, 
but  sometimes  coming  back  to  see  if  it  was  still  straight  and 
how  long  since  he  had  gone  over  it.  Of  course,  I  had  to  keep 
very  flat  on  the  ground,  and  only  came  to  the  path  where 
there  was  a  hollow  or  some  bushes  to  hide  me  from  being 
seen. 

"  Five  or  six  times  I  went  away  and  then  came  back  to  the 
path  ;  each  time  I  was  perhaps  three  or  four  hundred  feet 
nearer  to  the  moose.  Then  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  was  so 
near  him  I  must  not  come  to  the  track  again.  So  I  moved 
away  to  one  side  again,  and  looking  carefully  through  the 
branches  I  could  see  the  hill  very  plainly,  and  I  made  up  my 
mind  that  he  was  near  that  spot,  although  I  could  not  see 
him.  Now  I  had  my  hardest  work.  I  knew  I  must  move 
very  quietly,  for  if  I  even  broke  a  little  twig  with  one  of  my 
feet,  or  hit  my  gun  against  a  tree,  even  when  hundreds  of 
yards  away,  the  moose  would  hear  it  and  be  off. 

"  Very  carefully  then  I  made  a  big  circuit,  so  as  to  come 
in  right  behind  where  I  thought  the  moose  was  lying.  Sure 
enough,  when  I  got  round  where  the  track  ought  to  have 
been,  if  it  had  gone  on  straight  from  where  I  had  followed 


270  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

it  so  long,  there  was  no  track  there.  Then  I  knew  I  was 
ahead  of  the  moose.  But  the  question  was,  *  How  far  am  I 
from  him  ?'  Of  course  I  did  not  know,  but  I  still  thought  I 
would  find  him  where  I  said.  So  I  took  off  some  more  of  my 
clothes  and  crawled  on  like  a  snake  until  I  got  in  the  rear 
of  those  bushes  which  I  had  seen  when  at  the  other  end  of 
the  track.  Here  I  waited  and  listened,  but  I  neither  heard 
nor  saw  any  thing  of  the  moose.  As  I  felt  I  had  gone  far 
enough  .1  very  carefully  examined  my  flint-lock  gun,  and 
then  slowly  got  upon  my  feet.  Certain  that  my  deer  was 
close  at  hand,  I  sharply  snapped  off  a  dry  stick  by  stepping 
on  it.  Instantly,  as  I  had  expected,  there  sprang  up  the  big 
moose,  not  fifty  yards  from  me.  He  quickly  turned  sideways 
toward  me  to  see  what  the  danger  was.  I  instantly  fired  and 
killed  him  on  the  spot,  and  felt  very  glad  to  have  my  two 
days'  hunt  end  so  well." 

We  who  had  listened  to  Big  Tom's  story  congratulated 
him  on  his  cleverness  and  rejoiced  with  him  at  his  success, 
for  he  is  one  of  the  best  and  bravest  of  men,  as  well  as  one 
of  the  kindest. 

Compared  with  some  of  the  more  graceful  species  of  the 
deer  family  the  reindeer  appears  ungainly  and  thick-set. 
Yet  lie  is  quick  and  fleet  in  his  movements,  and  when  in  his 
prime  carries  gracefully  a  magnificent  pair  of  antlers.  Al 
though  not  as  large  as  the  moose,  yet  many  of  them  are  very 
fine-looking  animals  and  are  much  prized  by  the  Indians,  who, 
however,  do  not  train  them  to  draw  their  sleighs  as  do  the 
Laplanders,  but  hunt  them  solely  for  their  flesh  and  skins. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  year  they  live  principally 
in  what  are  known  in  the  far  North  as  the  "  Barren  Lands." 
These  inhospitable  regions,  although  destitute  of  nearly  every 
species  of  vegetable  life,  yet  abound  in  different  kinds  of 
lichen  or  Iceland  moss,  which  is  the  food  most  prized  by  these 
wandering  bands  of  reindeer,  or  caribou.  These  deer  differ 
from  many  other  species  in  that  they  are  essentially  migra 
tory  animals.  Some  years  they  will  collect  in  great  herds  and 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  271 

wander  hundreds  of  miles  from  their  ordinary  feeding-grounds. 
The  colder  the  winter  the  further  south  they  come.  Although 
not  as  fond  of  water  as  the  moose,  yet  when  on  their  migra 
tions  they  do  not  hesitate  to  cross  large  rivers  and  deep  bays. 
Impelled  onward  by  some  unknown  impulse,  they  will  even 
pass  through  settlements  and  crowd  up  so  close  to  human 
habitations  that  for  the  time  being  they  seem  to  have  almost 
lost  their  fear  of  man.  One  winter,  so  close  did  immense 
herds  pass  by  one  of  the  largest  Hudson  Bay  Company's 
posts,  that  many  were  shot  by  the  officials  and  employees 
from  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  different  buildings.  Dur 
ing  the  cold  winter  months  many  of  the  herds  of  these  valu 
able  animals  wandered  into  the  regions  hunted  over  by  my 
Cree  Indians.  Hundreds  of  them  were  killed,  and  the  veni 
son  thus  obtained  was  an  agreeable  addition  to  the  "bill  of 
fare  "  of  a  people  whose  principal  article  of  food  was  fish. 

When  a  hunter  gets  on  the  track  of  a  herd  of  them  he  will 
sometimes  follow  them  up  for  days  without  firing  a  shot,  even 
if  he  is  frequently  in  range  of  some  of  the  finest  of  them.  His 
object  in  reserving  his  fire  is  to  wait  until  he  can  shoot  the 
leader  of  the  herd.  If  he  succeeds  in  this  the  whole  band 
is  thrown  into  disorder,  and  becomes  so  bewildered  that  they 
seem  to  lose  their  senses  and  run  this  way  and  that  way 
in  the  greatest  confusion.  The  hunter,  meanwhile,  avails 
himself  of  this  mad  panic  and  keeps  loading  and  firing  his 
gun  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Soon,  however,  a  great  big-antlered 
deer  seems  to  appoint  himself  as  leader,  and,  rushing  off  with 
a  snort,  is  quickly  followed  by  all  that  is  left  of  the  herd, 
while  the  clever  hunter,  as  the  reward  of  his  patience  and 
shrewdness,  is  perhaps  the  fortunate  owner  ^f  enough  venison 
to  keep  him  and  his  family  for  months. 

The  reindeer  are  very  much  pestered  by  a  Kind  of  gadfly, 
which  not  only  causes  them  very  much  annoyance  but  so 
punctures  their  skins  that  often  they  are  of  but  little  value  to 
the  Indians  or  any  body  else.  I  have  seen  them,  when  tanned 
by  the  Indian  squaws,  so  full  of  holes  that  they  looked 


272  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

more  like  the  bottom  of  a  colander  than  any  thing  else.  Often 
there  was  not  enough  good  leather  in  one  skin  out  of  which 
to  make  a  pair  of  moccasins.  On  account  of  the  persecu 
tions  which  they  suffer  from  these  flies  the  deer  are  fre 
quently  observed  swimming  in  the  lakes  or  rivers.  Many 
of  them  are  killed  while  thus  in  the  water  by  watchful  In 
dians.  In  killing  them  when  in  the  water  the  hunters  very 
seldom  use  their  guns,  but  gliding  up  swiftly  near  them  in 
their  fleet  canoes  they  strike  them  on  their  heads  with 
their  axes  or  spear  them  with  their  long,  sharp  hunting- 
knives  which  they  have  lashed  to  poles.  By  killing  them  in 
this  noiseless  way  they  do  not  frighten  away  others  that  may 
be  feeding  near  the  shore.  Even  the  women  will  sometimes 

O 

in  the  absence  of  the  men  glide  out  noiselessly  where  they 
see  the  deer  swimming,  and  successfully  attack  them  and 
drag  their  bodies  in  triumph  at  the  stern  of  their  light  crafts 
to  the  shore,  where  their  wigwams  are  pitched.  But  there  are 
times  when  they  are  not  so  successful,  as  the  following  tragic 
story  will  explain. 

I  was  interrupted  one  day  while  sitting  in  my  study  by  the 
quiet  entrance  of  a  stalwart  Indian  whom  I  had  not  seen  for 
a  year.  I  had  met  him  the  previous  summer  in  his  own  wig 
wam  on  the  banks  of  a  beautiful  lake  a  couple  of  hundred 
miles  north.  After  a  few  words  of  kindly  greeting  I  asked 
about  his  family,  when,  to  my  surprise,  he  exclaimed,  almost 
passionately,  "  Missionary,  my  heart  is  sad,  and  I  have  come 
to  ask  you  to  get  me  a  wife  from  one  of  the  Christian  families 
of  your  village." 

Somewhat  annoyed,  I  said  :  "  Do  you  not  know  that  I  do 
not  believe  in  a  man  having  two  wives  at  the  same  time  ? 
When  I  visited  your  wigwam  and  had  religious  services  among 
your  people  last  summer  I  thought  you  had  a  very  good 
wife  and  a  pretty  babe,  and  that  you  were  very  fond  of  them." 

"Yes,"  he  said,  passionately;  "all  true,  missionary!"  and 
then  his  spirit  broke,  and  he  wailed  out,  "  Non  pimatissit!" 
which  means,  "Not  among  the  living." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  273 

This  is  the  pagan  Cree  Indian  way  of  referring  to  the  death 
of  friends.  Having  none  of  the  consolation  which  Chris 
tianity  gives  in  reference  to  death,  the  very  word  itself  is  to 
them  one  of  such  terror  that  they  seldom  utter  it.  When 
obliged  to  speak  of  those  that  are  gone  they  use  the  Cree 
phrase  non  pimatissit — not  among  the  living.  Shocked  at 
this  sad  news,  and  pitying  the  poor  fellow,  we  made  him  sit 
down  with  us  to  tea,  and  then  after  a  while  we  got  him  to 
tell  us  his  sad  story.  He  said : 

"  Missionary,  a  short  time  after  you  left  us  I  started  from  the 
place  where  you  had  met  our  people  on  the  Burntwood  River 
to  go  far  away  to  my  own  hunting-grounds  to  catch  beaver. 
I  pitched  my  wigwam  on  the  bank  of  a  fine  large  lake  in 
which  there  were  plenty  of  fish,  and  there  I  left  my  wife  and 
babe  and  my  wife's  mother.  They  had  every  thing  they 
needed  to  make  them  comfortable.  There  were  fish  in  the 
lake  and  rabbits  in  the  woods.  With  plenty  of  food  in  the 
wigwam  I  left  them  light  of  heart,  for  I  was  glad  to  see 
them  so  well.  The  last  thing  I  saw  of  them  was  the  baby 
laughing  in  the  hammock  and  my  wife  sitting  beside  him  and 
busy  making  the  new  white  fish  net  for  the  fall  fishing.  I 
went  up  the  lake  for  some  miles  until  I  reached  a  large  stream 
that  flowed  down  into  the  lake.  As  I  had  seen  before  this  time 
plenty  of  signs  of  beaver  up  this  creek  I  went  up  it  a  few 
miles  and  there  set  my  traps.  I  hunted  around  for  a  few 
days  and  did  very  well.  Then  I  packed  up  my  furs  and  beaver- 
meat,  and  started  on  my  trip  home.  My  load,  which  I  car 
ried  on  my  back,  supported  by  the  carrying-strap  from  my 
forehead,  was  heavy,  but  my  heart  was  light,  for  I  had  been 
successful  as  a  hunter,  and  then  I  was  also  on  my  way  to  see 
my  wife  and  baby  boy.  I  hurried  along  on  the  side  of  the 
stream  until  it  entered  into  the  lake,  and  then  I  turned  to 
walk  along  the  shore.  I  had  not  gone  very  far  before  I  was 
surprised  to  find  lying  in  the  water  at  the  edge -of  the  lake 
the  body  of  a  large  dead  reindeer.  I  examined  him  to  see 
if  he  had  been  shot,  but  instead  of  any  bullet  marks  I  found 


274 


STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


that  lie  had  been  badly  cut  about  his  head  with  an  ax.  As 
lie'  was  not  fit  for  food  I  left  him  there  for  the  wild  beasts 
to  eat  and  hurried  on  toward  my  wigwam.  I  had  not 
gone  very  far  before  I  found  on  the  shore  one  of  my  canoes 
badly  broken.  This  very  much  surprised  me,  and  so  I  hur 
ried  on  faster  than  before,  for  my  heart  began  to  feel  strange 
and  heavy;  and  there  was  reason  for  it,  missionary,  for  I  had 
not  gone  on  much  farther  before  I  found  at  the  shore  in  the 


THE   BROKEN   CANOE. 

water  the  bodies  of  my  wife,  babe,  and  wife's  mother.  They 
were  cold  and  dead,  although  there  were  no  wounds  on  their 
bodies.  They  had  been  drowned — all  drowned." 

The  poor  fellow  had  been  able  to  control  himself  fairly 
well  up  to  this  point  while  in  his  simple  yet  eloquent  manner 
he  had  told  his  pathetic  story.  But  here  even  the  Indian's 
stoical  nature  was  overcome,  and  his  heart  was  stirred  to  its 
depths  by  the  memory  of  his  great  loss.  So  for  a  time  in  a 
hushed  silence  my  sympathetic  wife  and  I  sat  with  him  until 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  275 

he  had  mastered  his  emotions  and  could  proceed  with  his 
narrative.  He  said  : 

"I  carried  the  bodies  home  to  my  empty  wigwam,  and  as 
they  lay  there  so  still  I  could  but  think  of  how  different 
when  I  left  them  a  few  days  before.  I  hurried  away  to  the 
wigwams  of  some  of  my  people  miles  away,  and  they  came 
to  see  me  in  my  sorrow  and  helped  me  to  bury  my  dead." 

In  answer  to  our  questions  as  to  his  impressions  or  ideas  as 
to  the  manner  in  which  his  loved  ones  had  met  their  death  he 
said  nobody  had  seen  how  it  happened,  as  all  the  people  were 
in  other  places,  hunting  or  fishing,  but  he  and  his  relatives 
had  talked  it  over,  and  they  had  all  come  to  one  mind  about 
it.  And  this  was  how  they  thought  it  happened:  The 
women  in  the  tent  must  have  seen  that  large  reindeer  swim 
ming  in  the  lake,  and,  being  anxious  to  kill  him,  they  had 
launched  the  canoe  to  go  after  him.  As  there  were  some 
times  gray  wolves  or  other  wild  animals  prowling  about  they 
were  afraid  to  leave  the  baby  behind,  and  so  they  took  him 
with  them  in  the  canoe.  They  only  took  with  them  their 
paddles  and  a  couple  of  axes. 

The  reindeer  has  good  lungs,  and  so  he  can  swim  high  in 
the  water,  and  sometimes  he  will  make  a  desperate  fight,  even 
in  the  water,  for  his  life.  So  it  seemed  in  this  case  that, 
while  the  women  succeeded  in  so  striking  him  in  the  head 
with  their  axes  as  to  mortally  wound  him,  he  succeeded  in 
breaking  the  canoe,  perhaps  with  his  hind  feet,  for  they  are 
able  to  kick  very  savagely,  even  when  swimming.  The  result 
was,  the  boat  sank,  and  the  women  becoming  entangled  with 
their  clothing,  and  perhaps  trying  to  save  the  baby,  all 
were  drowned  together. 

We  listened  to  the  recital  of  this  sad  story,  and  would  not 
have  been  human  if  we  had  not  been  moved  by  it  and  also 
by  the  simple,  pathetic  way  in  which  he  tried  to  tell  us  how 
he  felt  when  he  reached  his  wigwam  and  found  the  fire  out, 
the  hammock  empty,  and  the  wooden  needle  still  dangling  in 
the  last  mesh  of  the  net  which  his  wife  had  been  weaving 
22 


276  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

ere  she  had  doubtless  hurried  out  to  try  and  show  how 
bravely  she  and  her  mother  could  kill  the  deer.  We  kept 
the  poor  fellow  all  night,  and  in  the  morning  were  better 
prepared  to  sympathize  with  him  in  his  desire  to  obtain  a 
wife  than  when  he  had  in  such  a  strange  way  referred  to  the 
matter  the  previous  evening  at  the  beginning  of  our  inter 
view. 

"  Why,"  I  said  to  him,  "have  you  come  hundreds  of  miles 
for  a  wife  ?  Why  did  you  not  go  to  Nelson  River,  or  to 
some  other  place  nearer  to  your  home  ?  " 

His  prompt  answer  was:  "Because  I  want  a  Christian 
wife.  I  am  convinced  that  what  you  told  me  is  true.  I  am 
trying  to  believe  in  your  religion,  and  know  more  about  the 
true  God  and  his  Son,  and  as  you  can  only  come  once  or  twice 
a  year  to  teach  us  and  preach  to  us  I  thought  a  good  Christian 
wife  might  help  me  along  in  the  good  Christian  way." 

Still  anxious  to  draw  him  out,  for  I  saw  that  I  had  here  a 
man  of  more  than  usual  character  and  thoughtfulness,  I  said: 
"  But  I  cannot  forget  that  although  I  manage  to  get  down 
once  or  twice  a  year  by  canoe  or  dog-train  to  visit  your 
people,  and  they  have  always  received  me  kindly  and  listened 
very  attentively  to  what  I  say,  yet  it  is  only  a  very  short 
time  since  they  began  to  hear  about  the  true  way,  and  many  of 
them  are  still  pagans;  so  you  see  there  might  be  a  good  deal 
of  fear  that  if  a  Christian  young  woman  went  to  live  there 
they  would  persuade  her  to  return  to  the  old  Indian  way." 

"  No,  no  !  "  he  said  very  earnestly.  "  We  have  all  lost 
faith  in  the  old  way,  and  she  would  be  able  to  help  us  to  be 
good  Christians  all  the  sooner." 

So,  after  my  good,  judicious  wife  and  I  had  listened  to  the 
story  and  talked  the  matter  over,  we  thought  of  a  family 
where  there  were  several  marriageable  daughters  dependent 
on  a  sickly  father,  one  of  whom  we  thought  would  make  this 
fine-looking  fellow  a  good  wife  and  help  him  to  be  a  Chris 
tian.  Soon  after,  I  escorted  the  suitor  over  and  introduced 
him  to  the  family,  and  had  him  tell  his  story  and  plead  his 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  277 

loneliness  and  make  his  promise  of  how  good  and  true  he 
would  be.  As  it  did  not  take  Rebekah  long  to  make  up  her 
mind,  in  the  ancient  primitive  times,  to  consent  to  be  the 
wife  of  Isaac,  and  to  start  off  on  a  long  journey,  so  it  was 
here.  A  few  days  after  there  was  a  quiet  marriage  in  our  lit 
tle  church  and  a  happy  wedding-feast.  Then  the  bride  and 
the  bridegroom  embarked  in  their  birch  canoe  for  their  far- 
distant  home.  With  machine-like  precision  their  paddles 
rose  and  fell  together  as  they  rapidly  propelled  their  beauti 
ful  craft  along.  We  could  not  help  but  breathe  the  prayer 
that  their  lives  might  move  along  in  equal  unison.  If  so,  they 
were  assured  of  many  days  of  sunshine. 

I  visited  them  years  after.  They  are  consistent  Christians, 
as  well  as  the  majority  of  the  Indians  in  that  section  of  that 
vast  country. 


278  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE    MODEL    MISSIONARY  SUPERINTENDENT,  THE  REV.   GEORGE 

YOUNG,  D.D. BEGINNING  THE  WORK  IN  MANITOBA  UNDER 

HARDSHIPS    AND    DIFFICULTIES HIS    GENUINE    SYMPATHY 

WITH    THE    ISOLATED     MISSIONARIES HIS     TWELVE-HUN 
DRED-MILE    TRIP    BY    DOG-TRAIN NARROW    ESCAPE    FROM 

A  CRACK  IN  THE  ICE — VARIED  TRAVELING  EXPERIENCES 

THE    CAMP    IN    THE    SNOW THE    MISSIONS    VISITED — NOR 
WAY  HOUSE OXFORD  HOUSE MISSIONARY   DISCOMFORTS 

NELSON     RIVER     MISSION REV.    J.    SEMMENS BEREN's 

RIVER  MISSION DIFFICULTIES    THAT   HAVE    TO    BE    OVER 
COME     IN     CHRISTIANIZING     THE     INDIANS DR.     YOUNG'S 

RETURN  HOME LONG  SICKNESS    AS    THE    RESULT    OF    THE 

HARDSHIPS    OF    THE    JOURNEY CLOSING  WORDS — QUOTA 
TION  FROM   THE    REV.   DR.    PUNSHON. 

IN  December  of  one  of  our  coldest  winters  I  went  in  to  the 
Red  River  Settlement  with  my  dog-trains  to  bring  out  our 
beloved  chairman,  the  Rev.  George  Young,  D.D. ,  who  had  long 
promised,  much  to  our  delight,  to  pay  us  a  visit  in  our  lonely 
northern  mission  field.  Dr.  Young  was  the  first  Methodist 
missionary  appointed  to  the  white  work  in  the  North-west. 
When  he  and  his  family  reached  the  Red  River  Settlement 
there  was  not  a  single  Methodist  in  the  country  to  bid  him 
welcome.  No  comfortable  parsonage  awaited  him.  Chilling 
and  discouraging  indeed  was  the  outlook.  But  Dr.  Young 
was  just  the  man  for  the  place.  As  soon  as  possible  he  se 
cured  a  little  log-cabin  house  of  only  one  room,  and  in  it  he 
and  his  household  lived  for  months.  A  good  lot  of  land  for 
a  church  was  obtained,  and  amid  many  discouragements  Dr. 
Young  began  to  gather  materials  for  the  first  Methodist 
sanctuary.  A  great  deal  of  the  work  in  the  building  he  did 
with  his  own  hands.  Once  as  I  came  in  on  business  from  my 


REV.    GEORGE    YOUNG,    D.D. 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  279 

northern  mission,  in  response  to  my  inquiry  as  to  Dr.  Young's 
whereabouts,  I  was  told  that  he  was  somewhere  gathering 
materials  for  the  new  church.  After  quite  a  search  I  found 
him  with  a  yoke  of  oxen  attached  to  a  stone-boat  hauling 
stones  for  the  foundation  of  the  new  church.  As  I  looked 
at  him,  sunburnt  and  bronzed,  but  happy  in  this  work,  and 
remembered  how  I  had  seen  him  but  lately  as  the  honored 
pastor  of  one  of  the  largest  congregations  in  Toronto,  I 
rejoiced  that  we  had  such  men,  and  saw  that  success  was 
already  assured.  Such  men  succeed. 

The  church  was  soon  erected,  and  for  such  a  ne\v  country 
it  was  one  of  rare  beauty.  Its  windows  of  the  finest  stained 
glass  were  the  gifts  of  different  Sunday-schools  in  Canada. 
So  charmed  in  after  years  were  some  Indians  whom  I  had 
brought  in  from  Nelson  River  to  meet  Dr.  Punshon  and  the 
missionary  secretaries,  who  had  come  to  that  land  to  meet 
the  missionaries,  that,  as  these  children  of  the  forest  stood 
gazing  at  the  gorgeous  colors  as  the  western  sun  so  grandly 
illumined  them,  they  turned  to  me  and  cried  out,  "  O,  mis 
sionary,  is  the  heaven  you  have  described  to  us  as  beautiful 
as  this?" 

Great  and  marvelous  have  been  Dr.  Young's  successes.  A 
Conference  of  over  a  hundred  ministers,  with  a  membership  of 
many  thousands,  now  -flourishes  where  amid  many  difficulties 
and  discouragements  he  began  the  seed-sowing.  From  the 
beginning  of  his  labors  in  that  new  country  he  took  the  great 
est  interest  and  showed  the  most  tangible  sympathy  in  the 
Indian  missions  and  for  the  missionaries  on  their  lonely,  re 
mote  fields  of  toil.  My  long  journeys  by  canoe  in  summer 
and  dog-trains  in  winter  were  always  of  great  interest  to  him, 
and  the  promise  was  given  that  as  soon  as  help  reached  him, 
and  he  could  safely  leave  his  work  among  the  whites,  he 
would  come  out  and  gladden  the  hearts  of  the  toilers  on  the 
field  and  personally  inspect  the  work.  Years  passed  before 
this  could  be  carried  out.  The  Riel  rebellion  occurred,  and 
during  those  dark  days  which  tried  men's  souls  Dr.  Young 


280  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

had  much  to  endure.  His  only  son  for  a  time  was  a  prisoner 
in  Fort  Garry,  and  his  wife  suffered  intensely  from  the  bit 
ter  cold,  as  she  was  obliged  in  the  depths  of  a  severe  winter 
to  return  to  Toronto,  crossing  the  storm-swept  trail  through 
Dakota  and  Minnesota,  ere  she  reached  the  most  northern 
railroad  station. 

Dr.  Young,  although  at  times  his  life  was  in  jeopardy, 
bravely  remained  at  his  post  and  at  much  personal  risk  did 
all  he  could  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  the  loyal  Canadians 
who  were  imprisoned  in  Fort  Garry  by  the  rebel  naif -breeds, 
And  when  Scott,  for  the  sole  crime  of  being  loyal  to  his  flag  and 
country,  was  condemned  to  be  shot  by  these  miscreants  Dr. 
Young  demanded  from  them  the  right  to  visit  and  pray  with 
him  in  the  cold  bastion  in  which  he  was  confined ;  and  when 
the  unfortunate  man  was  taken  out  and  shot  he  bravely  stood 
by  him  with  words  of  cheer  until  the  foul  murder  took  place. 
Sir  Garnet  Wolseley's  march  into  the  country  with  his  Brit 
ish  troops  and  Canadian  volunteers  quickly  ended  this  stu 
pid  rebellion  amid  the  rejoicings  of  every  loyal  heart.  Dr. 
Young  was  publicly  thanked  in  different  ways  for  the  brave, 
patriotic  stand  he  had  taken  and  maintained. 

Peace  and  prosperity  having  returned  to  the  country,  and 
Dr.  Young  having  secured  the  services  of  an  earnest  mission 
ary  as  his  colleague,  he  was  now  able  to  carry  out  his  prom 
ise  of  years  before,  to  visit  us  in  our  northern  wilds.  It  was 
a  perilous  journey,  as  the  official  letter  written  to  the  mission 
ary  secretaries  which  we  include  in  this  chapter  will  show.  Dr. 
Young  was  a  brave  traveler  and  stood  the  journey  well.  My 
trusty  Indians  aided  me  in  doing  all  we  could  to  mitigate  the 
hardships  and  privations  of  the  trip.  We  made  a  cariole  out 
of  a  dog-sled  by  putting  parchment  sides,  made  out  of  deer 
skins  upon  it,  and  adding  a  stiff  back.  In  this  long,  narrow 
vehicle  we  packed  our  honored  visitor,  well  wrapped  up  in 
blankets  and  fur  robes.  We  carried  with  us  an  abundant 
supply  of  the  fattest  of  food  suitable  for  such  a  cold  journey. 
Our  dogs  were  in  splendid  condition  and  well  trained  for  the 


"  IX   MY    TRUSTY   SUIT    OF   MOOSE-SKIN." 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  281 

work.  We  tried  to  arrange  our  hours  of  travel  so  as  to 
reach  the  best  camping-places,  but  in  spite  of  all  we  could  do 
the  trip  was  a  severe  one  and  beset  with  many  dangers  and 
much  suffering.  Here  is  an  account  of  one  little  adventure 
which  will  give  a  faint  idea  of  some  of  the  perils  of  traveling 
during  the  night  vigils  with  dog-trains  in  this  northern  land. 
One  night  Sowanas,  the  Indian  runner,  complained  of  a  swell 
ing  in  one  of  his  knees  which  made  it  impossible  for  him  to 
keep  running  ahead  of  the  trains  at  the  rapid  rate  we  wished  to 
travel.  This  was  a  serious  matter,  but  it  could  not  be  helped. 
So  I  arranged  him  a  place  where  he  could  ride  on  my  dog- 
sled,  and  I  took  his  place  at  the  head  as  runner.  We  left  our 
wintry  camp  very  early,  as  I  was  anxious  to  make  at  least 
twenty-five  miles  before  sunrise.  Our  course  was  due  north 
up  Lake  Wjnnipeg.  The  stars  shone  out  with  wondrous 
brilliancy,  and  the  fitful  auroras  flashed  and  scintillated  in 
the  heavens.  As  we  knew  the  ice  was  from  three  to  six  feet 
thick  we  hurried  along  without  any  fear.  So  vigorous  was 
the  exercise  in  keeping  ahead  of  my  spirited  dogs  that  I 
had  thrown  off  my  overcoat,  and  in  my  trusty  suit  of  moose- 
skin  found  that  it  taxed  my  energies  to  the  utmost  to  fill  the 
place  of  an  Indian  runner.  While  rushing  along  I  was 
startled  at  the  strange  phenomenon  of  the  stars  being,  as  I 
thought,  very  vividly  reflected  from  the  transparent  ice  just 
before  me;  but,  providentially,  I  was  enabled  to  suddenly 
observe  that  what  I  had  thought  was  transparent  ice  was 
open  water  of  unknown  depths,  into  which  we  had  come 
within  a  foot  or  two  of  falling.  Suddenly  checking  myself, 
I  turned  and  threw  myself  on  the  leader  dog,  which  was  close 
to  my  feet,  and  shouted  "  Stop  !  "  to  both  men  and  dogs,  who 
were  close  at  hand,  and  who,  like  myself,  were  in  imminent 
danger  of  plunging  into  the  open  lake  never  to  be  seen  again. 
With  grateful  hearts  we  offered  up  in  quiet  tones  our  sincere 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  the  wonderful  deliverance  from 
plung'ng  into  this  open  crack  in  the  ice. 

So  bitterly  cold  is  it  at  times  that  the  ice,  although  several 


282  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

feet  thick,  suddenly  cracks  by  the  terrible  frost.  The  seam 
or  opening  is  often  many  miles  long  and  from  six  to  twenty 
feet  wide.  The  water  suddenly  rushes  up  to  the  surface,  and, 
until  frozen  over,  which  soon  occurs,  is  a  dangerous  trap  for 
the  unwary.  Fortunately  our  good  chairman,  well  wrapped 
up  in  the  robes  of  his  cariole,  was  sound  asleep  and  knew 
nothing  of  the  narrow  escape  of  the  whole  party.  Years  after, 
when  he  and  I  were  at  a  great  missionary  meeting  in  the 
Metropolitan  Church,  Toronto,  in  my  address  I  described  the 
perils  we  had  been  in,  and  then  for  the  first  time  he  heard  of 
our  narrow  escape.  Great  indeed  was  his  astonishment  at 
the  recital. 

The  following  is  his  letter,  written  after  his  return  to  his 
work  in  Winnipeg,  prefaced  by  the  editorial  remarks  of  the 
late  venerable  Dr.  Wood,  the  senior  missionary  secretary: 

"  The  chairman's  narrative  of  his  journey  to  Beren's  River, 
Rossville,  and  Oxford  House,  depicting,  as  it  does  in  detail, 
the  state  of  our  missions  in  that  sterile  country,  is  full  of  in 
terest.  Can  any  benevolence  be  more  pure  than  that  which 
has  prompted  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  Christian 
ordinances  among  a  people  so  placed  by  divine  Providence, 
far  away  from  the  advantages  and  pleasures  of  civilized  life? 
Whatever  may  be  thought  of  Brother  George  Young's  pru 
dence  in  undertaking  such  a  journey  at  that  season  of  the 
year,  all  must  admire  his  courage  and  self-denial  and  rejoice 
in  his  safe  return  to  his  family  and  charge  in  Winnipeg." 

"  On  the  7th  of  December  last  it  was  my  privilege  to  assist 
in  the  opening  services  of  a  new  church  on  the  High  Bluff 
Mission,  about  forty-eight  miles  west  of  Winnipeg.  On  my 
return  home,  Monday  evening,  I  found  the  Rev.  E.  R.  Young 
Availing,  with  Indians,  dogs,  and  sleds,  to  take  me  to  Beren's 
River,  on  my  long  trip  to  visit  the  Indian  missions  of  the 
North.  I  was  led  to  decide  on  making  this  trip  by  a  con 
viction,  long  felt,  that  I  could  not  discharge  aright  my  duties 
either  to  the  missionary  committee  or  the  missionaries  with 
out  such  a  knowledge  of  the  field  and  the  work  as  can  be 


AMD  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  283 

secured  only  by  actual  observation.  My  purpose  had  been 
to  make  the  journey  during  the  summer,  but  I  chose  the 
winter  instead  from  a  wish  to  get  in  my  report  before  next 
Conference,  because  of  a  saving  of  time  in  making  the  trip, 
larger  numbers  of  Indians  to  be  met  at  certain  points,  and 
greater  press  of  duties  in  Manitoba  in  the  summer  ;  besides 
which  I  desired,  as  a  means  to  an  end,  a  just  appreciation  of 
the  toils,  privations,  exposures,  and  expenses  inseparably  con 
nected  with  the  long  winter  trips  in  this  '  wild  north  land,' 
which  are  being  made  by  my  brethren  in  the  prosecution  of 
the  great  work  of  evangelization. 

"  The  journey  extended  to  a  distance  of  well-nigh  one  thou 
sand  two  hundred  miles,  occupied  twenty-eight  traveling 
days,  and  was  performed  by  some  walking  and  a  good  deal 
of  riding  in  dog-sleds.  The  sixteen  dogs,  four  sleds,  four 
Indians,  and  two  missionaries  made  up  such  a  procession,  as 
we  left  in  the  early  morning  of  December  9,  as  would  have 
brought  to  the  front  a  crowd  of  spectators  had  it  appeared 
on  King  Street,  Toronto,  instead  of  the  Red  River  of  the 
North.  Let  me  describe  :  Foremost  of  all  was  the  runner, 
Jake  Sowanas,  or  South-wind,  a  fat  young  Indian,  a  good 
runner,  a  still  better  feeder.  Then  came  the  Rev.  E.  R. 
Young,  with  his  valuable  train  of  dogs  and  a  sled  heavily 
laden  with  supplies  needed  at  home.  Next  in  order  my 
cariole,  with  its  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  more  or 
less,  of  humanity,  and  how  much  of  bedding,  clothing,  pem- 
mican,  etc.,  I  know  not;  and  then  two  other  trains,  loaded 
Avith  flour,  pork,  and  fish,  either  for  use  on  the  trip  or  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  people  at  Beren's  River. 

"  Two  of  the  four  teams  of  dogs  and  sleds  were  required  for 
my  use;  the  other  two  were  independent,  though  'attached,' 
for  reasons  sufficiently  apparent.  The  dog-sled,  used  as  a 
cariole,  is  made  of  thin  oak  about  an  inch  thick,  fourteen  or 
eighteen  inches  wide,  and  about  ten  or  twelve  feet  long,  with 
the  front  end  turned  up  like  a  skate,  while  the  sides  and  back 
are  made  of  parchment  drawn  tightly  around  a  frame-work 


284  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

and  so  hinged  to  the  bottom  of  the  sled  as  to  yield  a  little 
when  it  runs  against  blocks  of  ice  or  trees  and  thereby  escape 
being  wrecked,  even  though  the  passenger  experiences  an 
unpleasant  squeeze  from  the  collision.  The  whole  thing  is 
very  light,  and  runs  easily  and  rides  smoothly  on  smooth  ice 
or  a  well-beaten  road;  otherwise,  not.  My  experience  in 
dog-sledding  was  of  the  following  order:  First  period,  quite 
amusing;  the  thinness  of  the  oak-bottom  and  the  pliability 
of  the  sides  render  it  a  springy  sort  of  thing;  and  as  it  runs 
over  an  uneven  surface,  the  bottom  changing  quickly  from 
the  straight  to  the  convex  and  then  to  the  concave  and  back 
to  the  straight  again — the  sides,  meanwhile,  working  like'the 
leather  sides  of  a  bellows — it  seems  most  like  a  thing  of  life, 
and  might  easily  suggest  to  a  half-awaked  passenger  the  idea 
of  being  a  sort  of  second  Jonah  who  by  some  hook  or  crook 
had  got  inside  some  monster  who,  though  on  the  ice,  was 
making  desperate  strides  toward  an  opening  through  which 
to  plunge  with  his  victim  into  his  native  element — the  '  vasty 
deep.'  Two  months  before  this,  to  a  day,  I  was  enjoying  a 
ride  on  one  of  the  beautiful  and  comfortable  Pullman  cars 
between  Chicago  and  St.  Paul.  Between  that  ride  and  this 
there  was  but  little  semblance  save  that  in  each  one  is  conscious 
of  being  strangely  jerked,  feet  foremost,  toward  some  place, 
he  scarcely  knows  where.  The  second  period,  barely  enjoy 
able,  with  interruptions;  sitting  for  hours,  not  as  in  a  chair, 
but  after  the  fashion  of  a  jack-knife,  half  open,  with  an  occa 
sional  let-down  when  the  sled  drops  from  a  cake  of  ice  or 
log  while  the  dogs  are  at  a  trot,  and  to  be  capsized  and  find 
one's  self  as  an  Indian  babe  in  a  '  moss-bag,'  to  say  nothing  of 
the  cool  attentions  of  Jack  Frost  when  thermometers  indi 
cate  forty  and  fifty  degrees  below  zero.  These  things  act  as 
interruptions,  the  barely  enjoyable,  in  a  dog-sledder's  experi 
ence.  The  third  period  is  one  of  desire  to  have  done  with 
dog-sledding  forever.  This  I  reached  while  yet  far  away 
from  the  home-side  end  of  my  journey.  The  dog-train  is 
managed  by  a  driver  running  behind  without  any  reins,  but 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  285 

with  many  words,  of  which  'yee,'  '.chaugh,'  and  'marclie* 
are  among  the  most  important  and  in  some  instances  the 
least  objectionable.  To  these  words  are  added  certain  persua 
sive  measures  in  which  a  whip,-  often  loaded  with  shot,  is 
brought  into  painful  requisition.  Unlike  the  horse  or  ox,  the 
dog  speaks  out  his  feelings  in  relation  to  these  passing  mat 
ters.  By  ( running,'  in  this  connection,  I  do  not  mean  that 
either  Indians  or  dogs  literally  run,  nor  do  they  walk  much ; 
both  take  a  kind  of  'shack,'  a  kind  of  nondescript  gait, 
which  they  can  do  very  well,  even  to  the  extent  of  sixty  or 
seventy  miles  per  day  on  a  pinch.  In  that  case  they  set  off 
from  camp  at  two  or  three  in  the  morning,  and  deducting 
simply  brief  rests,  during  which  two  meals  are  taken  by  the 
men,  they  continue  running  until  sunsetting,  or  even  late  in 
the  evening  when  the  end  of  the  journey  is  to  be  reached. 
These  long-day  journeys  can  only  be  made  with  good  dogs 
and  smooth  roads.  To  those  who  have  not  witnessed  it  the 
statement  that  these  men  can  travel  so  far  in  a  day  seems 
incredible;  but  so  much  for  use.  The  Indians  are  not  alone 
in  being  able  to  do  it.  I  saw  the  Rev.  E.  R.  Young,  after 
suffering  all  night  from  toothache,  and  being  engaged  from 
IIP.  M.  to  2  A.  M.  in  keeping  up  our  camp-fire  to  keep  us 
from  freezing  to  death,  lead  off  with  his  dogs  across  a  bay 
twenty-five  miles,  making  that  distance  in  running  before  the 
sun  rose.  When  the  other  trains  came  up,  three-quarters  of 
an  hour  later,  he  had  our  breakfast  nearly  ready,  and  then 
before  sunset  he  traveled  about  thirty  miles  more;  nor  was 
this,  by  any  means,  equal  to  what  he  has  done.  There  are 
but  few  Indians  who  can  out-travel  him;  and  but  few  of  his 
brethren  and  the  patrons  of  this  great  Missionary  Society 
know  or  can  appreciate  the  full  amount  of  toil,  privation, 
and  exposure  which  have  been  involved  in  his  missionary  life 
in  the  North.  And  let  no  one  imagine  that  all  this  is  done 
quite  easily  •  not  so  these  achievements  and  results  of  strain 
ing,  fatiguing,  and  icearing  efforts,  which  in  many  cases  are 
followed  by  an  early  break-down. 


286  STOKIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

"The  camp  for  the  night  is  quickly  made  by  all  hands 
setting  to  work;  some  scraping  back  snow,  some  cutting 
spruce  boughs  and  carpeting  the  place,  building  up  a 
back  wall  with  them  about  three  feet  high,  and  others  get 
ting  fuel  for  the  fire.  Thawing  fish  for  the  dogs,  getting 
supper,  getting  frost  and  ice  from  clothes,  preparing  flat 
cakes,  and  cooking  pork  for  the  next  day  constituted  the 
work  of  the  evening  around  the  camp-fire.  Then  after  our 
evening  hymn  and  prayer  the  weary  ones  retired  for  rest 
in  the  open  wild,  sometimes  with  snow  falling  thickly  and 
wind  blowing  sharply,  with  '  spruce  feathers '  under  them 
and  a  blanket  or  two  over  them  to  sleep  comfortably  some 
times.  I  found  that  as  long  as  I  could  avoid  turning  in  bed 
I  could  keep  warm;  but  to  turn  or  to  strike  a  match  to  see  my 
watch — for  I  kept  time  for  the  men — was  to  give  the  cold 
an  entrance,  and  then  to  sleep  or  to  shiver  became  the  ques 
tion.  Among  the  last  tilings  to  be  done  before  sleep  and 
the  first  on  waking,  by  most  of  the  men,  was  to  drink  strong 
tea  and  smoke  tobacco,  large  quantities  of  which  have  to  be 
supplied  them.  Nor  can  such  exertions  be  sustained  and  such 
intense  cold  endured  without  frequent  replenishings  with 
nourishing  food.  Four  meals  a  day  are  requisite;  a  strong 
cup  of  tea,  with  some  pemmican  or  pork  or  venison  or  fish, 
with  flat-cakes,  often  baked  in  fat,  are  necessary.  In  these 
almost  arctic  regions  such  a  head  of  steam  as  is  requi 
site  can  be  kept  up  only  by  a  heavy  supply  of  fuel.  This 
will  account  for  the  fact  that  the  supplies  for  one  of  these 
trips,  in  the  land  of  ( magnificent  distances '  and  high 
prices,  run  up  to  an  amount,  that  cannot  but  astonish  the 
uninitiated.  The  different  stages  in  my  journey  were  from 
Winnipeg  to  Beren's  River,  about  five  days;  thence  to  Nor 
way  House,  four  days;  thence  to  Oxford  House,  five  days; 
the  return  trip  occupying  about  the  same  time.  During 
these  twenty-eight  days  I  encamped  out  some  twenty-three 
or  twenty-four  nights,  some  of  which  were  colder  than  any 
I  had  ever  before  experienced.  My  aim  was  to  walk 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  287 

about  five  or  six  miles  a  day;  but  in  crossing  a  long-, 
rough  portage  I  made  one  day  about  fifteen  miles,  and  suf 
fered  for  it,  too. 

"The  missions  I  visited  belong  to  the  Methodist  Church; 
no  other  denomination  has  ever  occupied  this  ground. 

"  The  Rossville  Mission  is  very  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
shore  of  a  beautiful  little  lake,  within  two  miles  of  Norway 
House  Post,  and  is  the  oldest  and  by  far  the  strongest  of  our 
Indian  missions  in  the  North-west.  It  was  established  in  1840 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rundle,  Wesleyan  missionary  from  London. 
In  looking  over  the  register  of  baptisms  and  marriages,  which 
has  been  carefully  kept  from  the  first,  I  found  the  first  bap 
tism  recorded  on  the  28th  day  of  May,  1840,  by  Mr.  Rundle, 
and  the  last  on  the  3d  of  January,  1875,  by  myself.  Be 
tween  these  dates  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty  bap 
tisms  were  registered.  Mr.  Rundle  was  succeeded  by  the 
late  Rev.  James  Evans,  wrho,  in  labors  and  travels  and  suc 
cesses,  was  c  more  abundant,'  and  whose  name  is  ever  men 
tioned  by  these  Christian  Indians  with  profoundest  respect 
and  gratitude.  Probably  one  thousand  Indians  or  more  con 
sider  this  place,  and  neighborhoods  adjacent,  their  home. 
The  mission  itself  embraces  a  large  number  of  families  who 
live  in  very  comfortable  and  clean-looking  little  houses,  not  far 
from  the  church  and  school  and  mission  house.  The  church, 
which  has  been  enlarged  once,  was  built  by  Mr.  Evans,  and 
is  at  present  about  sixty  feet  by  forty  feet,  and,  as  it  is  closely 
seated,  I  suppose  contains  occasionally  some  four  hundred, 
little  and  big,  of  a  congregation.* 

"  Since  the  Rev.  Mr.  Evans  the  mission  has  been  occupied 
by  Messrs.  Thomas  Hurlburt,  Brooking,  George  McDougall, 
Stringfellow,  E.  R.  Young,  and  their  present  pastor,  Mr. 
Ruttan,  all  of  whom  have  been  made  great  blessings  to  this 
once  benighted  people.  At  present  there  is  a  membership  of 
three  hundred  and  eighty-one,  of  whom  forty-seven  are  on 

*  This  church  has,  since  this  was  written,  been  replaced  by  a  much  better 
structure. 
23 


288  STOfilES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

trial,  making  a  net  increase  this  year  of  sixty-four.  There  are 
eighteen  classes  with  leaders  and  assistant  leaders,  one  day- 
school  and  one  Sunday-school  at  Rossville,  and  one  day-school 
and  a  Sabbath-school  at  Crooked  Turn,  about  eight  miles  away; 
in  these  schools  there  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  schol 
ars.  At  the  love-feast  there  were  present  about  three  hundred 
people,  while  nearly  two  hundred  came  to  the  Lord's  table, 
among  whom  one  was  over  one  hundred  years  of  age,  and  one 
came  one  hundred  miles  to  attend  the  services.  New  Year's 
day  was  'a  high  clay'  with  the  Indians  at  Rossville,  over 
five  hundred  of  whom  feasted  on  'fat  things,'  all  of  which 
were  '  gratis '  to  the  f easters.  From  morn  till  evening  the 
eating  went  briskly  on  amid  indications  of  good  appetites 
and  great  enjoyment  and  but  little  weariness.  I  reached 
the  mission  on  my  return  trip  from  Oxford  about  10  A.  M., 
just  in  time  for  the  feast.  In  the  evening  they  had  a  public 
meeting,  with  'Big  Tom'  as  chairman,  who,  by  the  way,  is 
a  good  man  and  true,  but,  O  so  slow  in  getting  up  to  speak, 
and  in  speaking  exceedingly  slow.  Just  imagine  a  great, 
tall  man  getting  up  an  inch  at  a  time,  and  waiting  between 
the  inches.  But  he  got  all  the  way  up  at  last  and  spoke, 
I  presume,  very  sensibly,  which  is  more  than  many  a  white 
man  does  who  gets  up  with  less  hesitancy.  A  number  of 
speeches  wTere  made,  and  a  very  enjoyable  meeting  indeed 
terminated  in  good  time.  I  visited  both  schools,  and  was 
much  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  the  children. 

"  The  mission  at  Jackson's  Bay,  near  Oxford  House,  and 
about  two  hundred  miles  north-east  from  Norway  House,  was 
established  at  a  more  recent  period,  and  has  been  occupied 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  Steinhaur,  Brooking,  Stringfellow,  Sinclair, 
and  the  present  missionary,  Mr.  German.  It  has  been  a  great 
blessing  to  hundreds  ot  Indians.  We  reached  the  mission  on 
the  evening  of  Christmas  day  after  a  very  fatiguing  day's 
run  from  early  dawn  till  long  after  dark.  On  Sabbath  I 
preached  and  gave  the  sacrament,  and  baptized  a  child  at 
10  A.  M.  at  the  bay,  and  then  we  crossed  over  to  the  fort, 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  2S9 

fourteen  miles,  and  held  service  there.  The  night  was  the 
coldest  I  ever  experienced,  and  when  we  set  out  the  next 
morning  before  sunrise  to  cross  the  lake,  a  distance  of  about 
forty  miles,  it  is  said,  with  wind  sharp  ahead,  neither  present 
experience  nor  future  prospects  for  that  day  were  very  pleas 
ing.  The  Indians  with  me  froze  cheeks  and  ears  in  a  gen 
eral  way,  but  said  very  little  about  it,  while  I  felt  the  cold 
very  much  with  all  my  mummy-like  wrappings,  till  finally  I 
had  to  get  out  and  run  to  keep  my  feet  from  freezing.  The 
thermometer  at  the  fort  was  useless  in  such  intense  cold.  I 
have  no  doubt  it  should  have  gone  down  to  fifty  or  sixty 
degrees  below  zero.  I  mention  this  to  show  under  what  cir 
cumstances  of  discomfort  and  peril  our  devoted  missionaries 
are  often  placed.  Dr.  Taylor,  one  of  the  missionary  secreta 
ries,  once  in  his  life  endured  the  most  purgatorial  sufferings 
occasioned  by  the  swarms  of  mosquitoes  which  gave  him 
such  a  warm  reception  in  this  same  region,  and  gloriously 
did  he  depict  his  sufferings  ;  once  in  my  life,  for  a  little 
while,  I  have  felt  the  discomfort  and  faced  the  peril  and  en 
dured  the  toil  of  a  trip  through  there  in  midwinter;  but 
Avhat  is  all  this  in  either  case  to  what  ourdear  brethren  sta 
tioned  out  here  have  to  meet  with  every  summer  and  every 
winter?  And  are  they  not  equally  susceptible  to  suffering  as 
either  of  us  ?  Let  our  good  brethren  in  the  more  comforta 
ble  home-work  bear  them  up  in  their  prayers  and  use  all 
allowable  means  to  secure  to  them  the  most  liberal  appropri 
ations.  These  are  the  toilers  who  earn  and  really  need 
the  highest  salaries  going.  High  prices  prevail,  hungry  In 
dians  clamor,  and  perquisites  and  presents  are  unknown. 
These  are  noteworthy  facts. 

"  The  Nelson  River  mission  is  situated  about  three  hundred 
miles  north  from  Norway  House,  and  is  the  most  northerly 
point  of  our  mission-field.  The  work  of  instructing  these 
poor  pagans  was  commenced  by  Kev.  E.  U.  Young  during 
his  occupancy  of  Rossville,  and  by  him  a  large  number  were 
converted  and  baptized.  Through  his  representations  and 


290  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIG  WAMS 

influence  mainly  the  authorities  of  the  Church  were  led  to 
open  a  mission  there  and  to  appoint  the  Rev.  J.  Semmens  as 
their  first  missionary.  Upon  him  rests  the  heavy  responsi 
bility  of  making  this  mission  a  success,  and  his  will  be  the 
honor  in  that  case  from  the  Church  of  the  future.  As  I  un 
derstood  that  the  Indians  were  generally  away  in  their  hunt 
ing-grounds  I  decided  not  to  extend  my  long  and  tedious 
and  costly  trip  to  that  point,  but  during  my  visit  to  Oxford 
House  the  missionary,  the  Rev.  John  Semmens,  with  his  splen 
did  train  of  live  dogs,  arrived  at  Norway  House,  so  that  on  my 
return  I  met  him  there  and  received  from  him  a  full  statement 
of  the  work  done  and  of  his  plans  for  the  future.  During 
the  last  few  months  he  has  baptized  fifty-five  persons  and 
conducted  services  regularly  on  the  Sabbath,  with  congre 
gations  not  very  large  but  attentive,  some  of  whom  have 
become  communicants.  According  to  returns  made  to  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  there  are  over  five  hundred  Indians  to 
whom  our  missionary  there  can  preach  the  blessed  Gospel. 

"The  new  mission  at  Beren's  River  is  situated  on  the  shore 
of  a  pleasant  little  bay  which  puts  in  from  Lake  Winnipeg, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  lake,  and  about  midway  from  the 
mouth  of  Red  River  and  Korway  House.  The  mission  was 
opened  by  Rev.  E.  R.  Young  in  1873.  When  the  statement 
of  Rev.  John  Ryerson,  as  published  in  his  book  of  travels 
through  this  land  in  1854,  is  remembered,  that  this  point 
ought  to  be  made  a  mission,  that  the  Indians  and  the  com 
pany's  officials  desired  it,  and  that  missionaries  in  passing 
had  promised  they  should  have  a  missionary,  and  then  the 
fact  noted  that  despite  the  importunity  and  recommendation 
of  promise  no  missionary  was  sent  until  1873,  the  old  adage, 
1  Large  bodies  move  slowly,'  will  be  apt  to  occur  to  the 
mind.  On  Sabbath,  December  13,  I  reached  this  pleasantly 
situated  mission  in  time  to  enjoy  a  service  in  the  *  taber 
nacle,'  as  they  call  it,  erected  a  few  months  ago.  Our  arrival 
was  followed  by  no  small  stir  among  the  natives,  who,  upon 
the  call  of  the  beautiful  bell  given  by  James  Ferrier,  Esq., 


AXI>  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  291 

of  Montreal,  assembled  and  gave  earnest  attention  to  my 
message  from  'Behold,  I  bring  you  glad  tidings,'  etc.  A 
number  of  buildings — a  mission-house  (a  very  good  one), 
school-house,  place  of  worship,  kitchen,  wood-house,  fish- 
house,  cow-stable,  house  for  interpreter  and  bell-tower,  etc. — 
have  been  erected  during  the  last  summer,  and  a  large  quan 
tity  of  building  material  for  a  church,  when  required,  col 
lected,  all  of  which,  as  well  may  be  supposed,  has  not  been 
done  without  a  heavy  outlay.  But  in  this  case  the  l  end 
justifies  the  means.'  The  missionary  has  secured  a  grant  of 
three  or  four  hundred  acres  of  land,  about  one  hundred  of 
which  he  reports  pretty  good,  ten  of  which  are  partially 
cleared  and  one  under  cultivation.  Each  Sabbath  services 
are  conducted  in  the  tabernacle — at  11  A.  M.  an  Indian 
service  for  the  natives,  and  at  7  P.  M.,  at  the  fort,  in  En 
glish.  Class  and  prayer  meeting  and  Bible-class  are  con 
ducted  in  the  afternoon  or  during  the  week.  At  the  three 
services  I  attended  the  congregations  were  very  encour 
aging;  about  twenty  received  the  sacrament  and  three  were 
baptized.  As  a  center  the  mission  is  of  great  impor 
tance.  Large  bands  of  Indians  yet  unchristianized  can  be 
easily  reached,  as  at  Poplar  River,  Jack's  Head,  Sandy  Bar, 
Pigeon  River,  and  Grand  Rapids,  many  of  whom  will  settle 
near  the  mission  erelong.  The  fisheries  and  hunting-grounds 
are  the  best,  I  suppose,  on  the  lake,  being  about  midway  be 
tween  Norway  House  and  the  Red  River.  They  will  afford 
our  missionaries,  as  they  pass  to  and  fro,  a  much-needed  and 
quiet  resting-place,  securing  to  tlie  mission  a  visit  and  to 
the  weary  travelers  a  home  and  a  Sabbath's  rest.  To  my 
mind  a  field  here  is  attractive  and  the  prospects  of  a  mission 
are  cheering. 

"Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  R.  Young  are  toiling  hard,  and  even  with 
weeping,  to  scatter  '  precious  seed.'  May  they  soon  realize 
and  '  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  their  sheaves  with 
them! '  During  my  journey  I  had  several  conversations  with 
uninstructed  pagans,  all  of  whom  professed  to  feel  dissatis- 


292  STORIES  FROM  INDIAN  WIGWAMS 

tied  with  their  position,  and  to  desire  more  light  and  to  be 
anxious  for  instruction  in  doctrines  of  Christianity.  From 
several  I  got  a  promise  that  they  would  pray  to  the  great 
and  good  Spirit  to  lead  them  into  the  true  light.  Polygamy, 
a  superstitious  dread  of  their  medicine-men  and  conjurers, 
wandering  habits,  and  an  idea  that  he  who  would  teach  them 
ought  to  feed  them  to  a  considerable  extent — these  are  ob 
stacles  in  the  way  of  their  Christianization,  but  they  are 
surmountable  and  have  been  surmounted  in  thousands  of  in 
stances.  The  difficulty  of  mastering  their  language  so  as  to 
preach  in  it,  or  of  getting  the  truth  properly  before  them 
through  an  interpreter,  is  felt  by  all  our  missionaries.  From 
them  we  need  now  fear  neither  violence  nor  opposition.  The 
term  '  savages,'  if  by  any  applied  to  Indians  of  this  country, 
whether  Christian  or  pagan,  is  a  misnomer  in  these  latter  days. 
Openings  for  schools  and  missionaries  abound,  ( the  fields  are 
white  unto  the  harvest,'  the  laborers  are  comparatively  few, 
and  the  funds  are  not  as  plentiful  as  they  should  be  in  the 
treasury  of  a  Church  bought  with  the  Redeemer's  blood. 

"  After  parting  with  the  kind  people  at  Beren's  River  on 
January  111  reached  home  on  Friday,  the  16th,  weary  and 
sore  indeed,  better,  as  I  suppose,  in  health;  and  yet  after 
the  services  of  Sabbath  the  reaction  came,  and  for  several 
days  it  seemed  uncertain  whether  an  attack  of  fever  or  in 
flammatory  rheumatism  awaited  me.  However,  deliverance 
came,  and,  as  has  been  usual  with  me,  through  the  infinite 
mercy  and  goodness  of  God.  I  am  thankful  that  I  have  been 
enabled  to  make  the  trip  in  the  winter,  but  this  one,  with  its 
fatigue  and  exposure,  must  suffice  for  me.  Were  I  possessed 
of  the  vigor  and  activity  and  endurance  and  lightness  which 
were  mine  thirty  years  ago  I  might  decide  otherwise.  It 
affords  me  great  pleasure  to  state  that  my  brethren  are  not 
only  in  health,  but,  as  I  believe,  energetically,  faith fulty, 
and  successfully  prosecuting  their  great  work.  Our  district 
meeting  is  appointed  to  be  held  in  Grace  Church,  Winnipeg, 
on  the  9th  and  10th  of  March,  when  we  hope  to  make  our 


AND  NORTHERN  CAMP-FIRES.  293 

full  returns  for  Conference,  and  trust  that  they  may  prove  in 
every  way  satisfactory." 

To  attend  this  district  meeting  some  of  the  missionaries 
from  the  remote  Indian  missions  had  to  travel  over  a  thou 
sand  miles  with  their  dog-trains  ere  they  reached  their 
homes  again.  So  deep  was  the  snow  that  most  of  that  dis 
tance  was  walked  on  snow-shoes,  and  over  twenty  nights  did 
these  missionaries  have  to  sleep  in  the  wintry  camps  in  the 
forest,  which  they  made  each  night  when  the  day's  toilsome 
trip  was  ended.  But  bravely  and  uncomplainingly  did  they 
accomplish  the  journey,  and,  with  hearts  cheered  and  re 
freshed  by  fellowship  with  their  brethren,  with  renewed 
zeal  they  again  grappled  with  the  work  and  the  difficulties 
inseparably  connected  with  it. 

Some  of  these  brethren  with  whom  I  have  had  the  joy  of 
being  associated  in  the  blessed  work  are  still  on  those  north 
ern  fields.  Others  have  in  the  mutation  of  years,  or  from 
broken  health,  been  assigned  to  other  places,  and  some  have 
finished  their  course  and  have  entered  into  rest.  And  so,  in 
closing,  to  whom  can  we  more  appropriately  apply  Dr. 
Punshon's  eloquent  words  than  to  these  our  Indian  mission 
aries  who,  in  regions  so  lonely,  work  so  arduous,  sufferings 
so  terrible,  and  yet  with  triumphs  so  signal,  have  gone  up 
from  the  battle-field  to  the  rich  reward  ?  "  Bravely  they 
bore  the  banners  while  they  lived,  but  the  nerveless  hand 
relaxed  its  hold  and  they  have  passed  them  on  to  others. 
We,  too,  must  pass  them  on.  We  received  unfinished  la 
bors  from  our  fathers  and  transmit  them  to  our  children. 
Watchers  in  the  night,  it  may  not  be  given  to  us  to  tarry 
until  the  morning.  We  can  but  wave  the  battle-flag  gal 
lantly  for  a  while,  but  our  hands  will  stiffen  and  our  comrades 
will  bury  us  before  the  fight  is  done.  O,  to  be  kept  faithful 
unto  death !  From  their  elevation  in  heaven  they  seem  to 
whisper  us,  '  Be  ye  followers  of  us  as  we  have  been  followers 
of  Christ.'" 


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